Turkish prospective teachers’ professional goals, beliefs about the attainability of these goals, identities, and possible selves

Abstract

This study examined the relationships among prospective teachers’ (PTs) professional goals, their beliefs about the attainability of these goals, teacher identities, and teacher possible selves, with a particular focus on the mediating roles of teacher identities and teacher possible selves. A total of 2303 PTs from three large universities located in different regions of Turkey voluntarily participated in the study. Using an explanatory correlational research design, PTs were asked to complete various quantitative measures. Correlation, hierarchical regression, and structural equation modelling analyses were conducted to analyse the data in a comprehensive manner. The results showed that PTs’ professional goals, their beliefs about the attainability of these goals, teacher identities, and expected teacher possible selves (ETPS) were significantly and selectively related to each other. The results also showed that PTs’ teacher identities and expectations of learning to teach played significant mediating roles in the relationships between their professional goals and beliefs about the attainability of these goals. Overall, the results of the study suggest that, by considering the roles of teacher identity and ETPS, teacher educators and policy makers may better understand the factors potentially bridging the gap between professional goals and beliefs about the attainability of these goals.