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Short abstract:

This presentation draws from STS research on breakdowns and repair to investigate overlooked aspects of teacher expertise in Chinese higher education, situated in the exploration of classroom environments, digital technologies, politics, and institutional and national policies.

Long abstract:

Situated against the backdrop of Chinese technology innovation and higher education, this presentation uses STS as a methodological approach to investigate overlooked aspects of teacher expertise. Drawing in the social context of educational practices challenged established models of expertise, which mainly focus on individual knowledge, by incorporating interactions between teachers and students, nonhuman elements in their educational environments and institutional politics.

To explore teacher expertise, I conducted a three-month long ethnographic study as a teaching assistant within a Chinese university. Focusing on breakdowns as moments where conventional expectations are interrupted, my analysis generated insights into invisible aspects of the pedagogical practices and materials that shape teaching in Chinese higher education.

I focus on five breakdowns, including students’ disengagement, their rejection of conventional assessment, and teachers’ conflicts with their institution. Each breakdown was analysed using Ebeltoft and Beck’s framework (2023) of breakdown, remobilization (repair), and restabilisation. This showed that teacher expertise is adaptive, situated in the navigation of classroom environments, digital technologies, institutional policies, and the broader socio-political context of Chinese higher education.

This research contributes to STS by extending its application to the field of education and turning a lens on the “micro” day-to-day practices in unique Chinese university classrooms. This investigation not only enriches the STS literature but also has practical implications for educational policy and teacher professional development in China and beyond.