Protective, dialogic, and morally authentic: orientations of professional judgment in civic adult education

This article explores how teachers respond to controversial classroom issues through distinct but interrelated orientations of professional judgement. Drawing on narrative interviews and classroom observations with 24 in-service teachers in Swedish Municipal Adult Education (MAE), the study identifies clusters of habitual responses. Findings show how teachers move between protective, dialogic, and morally authentic orientations in ‘dilemmatic spaces’ where personal values, professional beliefs, and institutional expectations intersect. These orientations are presented as flexible repertoires of judgement that support mandated democratic values while also sustaining teachers’ moral and professional integrity amid value conflict and vulnerability. Practical implications emphasise that examining such orientations can support adult educators in reflecting on the professional and civic demands of controversial classroom moments.