Teacher Identity Research Articles

Co-journeying with ChatGPT in tertiary education: identity transformation of EMI teachers in Taiwan

ABSTRACT This paper responds to the prevalent discourse on the ‘lack of English proficiency’ among EMI teachers in contexts where English is used as an additional language. It explores how AI-powered tools, particularly ChatGPT, enable EMI teachers in Taiwan to leverage their expertise and teach in English with more confidence. This study first describes the training of an EMI PD programme. Then it reports on the challenges and strategies, and the extended and innovative use by EMI teachers after the training. By reporting on the experiences of three EMI teachers, this study shows how collaborating with ChatGPT contributes to developing an empowered EMI teacher identity. This study fills a research gap, shedding light on the transformative potential of collaborating with ChatGPT to transform content teachers’ identities into an EMI teacher identity.

Factors affecting professional identity formation of basic medical sciences teachers in Pakistan: a phenomenological analysis of interviews

IntroductionTeachers can perceive themselves as a true teacher and act as one only if they have a strong professional identity. This study aimed to identify factors that shape the unique professional identity of basic medical sciences teachers in Pakistan.MethodsA qualitative study was performed using the concepts of phenomenology and purposive sampling. A 20-item text-based interview was conducted by sharing a Google Form link with basic medical sciences teachers from select institutions. Iterative data collection and analysis were performed until data saturation was attained.ResultsA total of 40 participants took part in the study. Nine categories were identified and grouped into two major themes: four personal and five environmental factors. Personal factors included characteristics, preferences, religious values, and professional development. Environmental factors included community of practice, students' feedback, administrative support, work environment, and societal apathy. Among these factors, aptitude, family preference or work-life balance, hard work, dedication, and effect on parenting were more evident in women. By contrast, passion, experience, complacency, and unique identity were the prominent factors.DiscussionCommunity of practice [31 (77%)], passion for teaching [21 (52%)], students' feedback [18 (45%)], work-life balance [16 (40%)], and religious values [13 (32%)] were the primary positive contributors to the identity of basic medical sciences teachers. By contrast, poor administrative support [8 (20%)], negative work environment [11 (27%)], job dissatisfaction [7 (17%)], societal apathy [4 (10%)], and lack of opportunities for professional growth [6 (15%)] negatively impact the professional identity of basic medical sciences teachers.

A Sociocultural Perspective on Second Language Teacher Identity Development: Narrative of a Vietnamese Teacher

This study reports and analyzes the life stories of one Vietnamese EFL teacher to accentuate the process of teacher identity development throughout their teaching career. The participant’s story was constructed with data from a series of interviews combined with examination of relevant documents. His narrative was then analyzed thematically under the guidance of Wenger's framework. The analysis shows that EFL teachers’ identity is constantly shaped and reshaped depending heavily on contextual factors. Moreover, the study highlights the challenges that arise when institutional settings do not align, forcing teachers to make tough decisions on their teaching practices and ultimately shaping their teacher identity. The findings also explore a strong relation between teachers experiencing tensions or emotional shock within their teaching context and their shift in teacher identities. Lastly, it was found out that teacher spiritual and religious belief towards their teaching practices acts as a source of mediation that contributes to the construction of teacher identity.

Drawing the past to envision the future: supporting the development of primary STEM teacher identity

ABSTRACT Growing interest in STEM education and imminent curricular reform places new demands on teachers, giving impetus to re-examining how we prepare primary teachers for more integrated approaches. In addition to the acquisition of knowledge and skills, sustainable change demands the development of teacher identity, in which teachers are seen by themselves and others as STEM teachers. This paper reports on the emerging STEM teacher identities of five preservice primary teachers. Using STEM story-lines as an innovative graphing exercise, participants were prompted to reflect on key events that shaped their journey and share future-oriented narratives through drawing and storytelling, as they negotiated becoming STEM teachers. Findings suggest that although their own school experiences were varied and influential, an integrated STEM intervention was the common turning point in their STEM identity development, whereby participants aligned critical components of STEM with personal experiences and values. The reflective tools used supported identity work, by triggering a rediscovery and reinterpretation of their experiences with the benefit of increased knowledge for teaching STEM and, in turn, provided a means to re-envisage the future.

Unveiling the professional identity construction of in-service university English language teachers: Evidence from Bangladesh

This study aims to investigate the construction of professional identity among Bangladeshi university English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers and its influence on classroom performance. Employing a qualitative case study approach, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. Interviews were conducted with two Bangladeshi university teachers who have significant experience in EFL teaching. The interview questions were designed based on the language teachers’ identity formation model, focusing on factors relevant to foundational competences. Content analysis was employed to analyze the collected data and identify emergent themes. The findings indicate that proficiency in language skills, contextual knowledge, self-awareness, disciplinary knowledge, and classroom management skills play pivotal roles in reshaping the professional identities of Bangladeshi university EFL teachers. Classroom observations revealed the strategies employed by these teachers in language use, pedagogical approaches, and classroom management to construct their professional identities. Despite aspirations to conduct classes solely in English, teachers often resorted to using the students' mother tongue for better comprehension. Based on these findings, the study suggests a focus on diverse teacher education programs in Bangladesh to produce more proficient teachers.

CHALLENGES AND INFLUENCES ON THE OTHER HALF OF THE PICTURE OF THE TEACHER’S IDENTITY

This article provides valuable insights into the professional identity of modern teachers. The actual problem of a modern teacher is his professional image, which ensures the status of a teacher in society. The article reveals the meaning of the concept of “image”, the history of the origin of the term, and its introduction as a phenomenon of social expression. The role and importance of developing the professional image and its components in the modern education system are considered. This study answers three research questions about the role of the image in the teacher’s professional activity, what is the teaching nature of the other half of the image, and how self-esteem in the educational process affects the development of a professional personality. It aims to integrate and synthesize the research findings presented for a comprehensive understanding of the topic. Research findings suggest that teacher professional identity can provide valuable insights into the long-term development and adaptation of professional identity in response to changing educational landscapes and societal expectations. H. RETNAWATI1, A.O. BEKALAEVA2, SH.S. DUISENBAYEVA2,G.K. KASSYMOVA3*, W. XU31Yogyakarta State University (Yogyakarta, Indonesia) 2al-Farabi Kazakh National University (Almaty, Kazakhstan)3Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University (Almaty, Kazakhstan)

Socio-political features shaping the mathematics teaching and professional identities of muslim minority teachers in Western Thrace

Socio-political features shaping the mathematics teaching and professional identities of muslim minority teachers in Western Thrace

‘Gaming’ in the English primary school: ‘do whatever you need to do to make your data look good’

ABSTRACT In an international policy environment of intensified high-stakes accountability, pupil assessment data are an invaluable commodity and critical indicator of both school and teacher effectiveness. Teachers’ engagement with pupil data and the associated experiences of increased accountability are of great consequence, and highly contentious for perceptions and experiences of policy. In the context of the English primary school, this paper explores the progressively tactical nature of teachers’ enactment of assessment policy, and the impetus to ‘make the data look good’. It draws upon an empirical study of rich qualitative data from 42 interviews with 22 primary teachers employed in the South-East of England. The findings add to an evolving field about ‘gaming’, and particular consequences for teacher identity are discussed. The paper further advances insights about teachers’ experiences of ‘in-school assessment’ as pertinent for understanding gaming. It locates the pupil progress meeting as an iteration of teacher accountability and performativity, and particular site of contestation, and a specific contribution to knowledge in this regard.

Book Review of Spirituality and English Language Teaching: Religious Explorations of Teacher Identity, Pedagogy and Context by Mary Shepard Wong & Ahmar Mahboob. Staple Hill, Bristol: Multilingual Matters, 2022

Book Review of <i>Spirituality and English Language Teaching: Religious Explorations of Teacher Identity, Pedagogy and Context</i> by Mary Shepard Wong &amp; Ahmar Mahboob. Staple Hill, Bristol: Multilingual Matters, 2022

Teacher identity, Islamic behaviour and project-based learning methods for madrasah teacher: A phenomenological approach

A project-based learning method is required for the development of students' scientific thinking in the field of akidah akhlak (moral theology). This study takes a phenomenological approach to investigate the role of Islamic behavior and identity in the development of project-based learning methods, involving twenty moral theology teachers and conducting in-depth interviews to reveal the narrative of teachers' practice in using project-based learning methods. Thematic analysis of 20 teachers' two-group interviews revealed that teachers' personal beliefs provided a religiously motivated narrative framework that aided in the interpretation of one's experiences. Individual Islamic behavior, religiosity, and identity creativity play a role in developing project-based learning methods for moral theology. In addition to attributing creativity from God-given personality to learning in moral theology, the primary bond in developing project-based learning methods is the application of Islamic principles and Islamic behavior. Following the learning of moral theology, students' identities, Islamic behavior, and scientific thinking develop. Finally, the findings of this exploratory study indicate that Islamic behavior and personal identity can enhance project-based learning methods. Large-scale research could provide more evidence in the future to reconsider the role of religious education in teacher training as an essential factor in developing project-based learning methods for moral theology teachers.

The Intersectionality of Language Teacher Identity: Exploring the Complex Interplay between Language Teacher Identity, Gender, Ethnicity, and Professional Background

The Intersectionality of Language Teacher Identity: Exploring the Complex Interplay between Language Teacher Identity, Gender, Ethnicity, and Professional Background

University teachers’ perspectives on student attendance: a challenge to the identity of university teachers before, during and after Covid-19

AbstractThis article addresses university teachers’ perspectives, gathered via interviews, on issues involved in their students’ decreasing attendance in formal taught-events, before and during the pandemic, and the implications of this for university teaching in the future. The research was part of a broad enquiry into learning and teaching during the Covid-19 pandemic, conducted in one research-led university in New Zealand by a research team of 19 university academics from multiple departments in this institution. We undertook 11 semi-structured interviews with eight professors, one lecturer and two teaching fellows, anonymous to all but the interviewer. A sub-group (authors of this article) used a general inductive approach to seek an underlying structure of experiences evident in participants’ interviews, in the form of emergent and reoccurring themes in the data. Self-determination theory was used as a theoretical framework for analysis. Themes suggest that university teachers may be stressed about attendance, increasingly uncertain about the links between how they teach and what and how students learn, and feel personally rather than collectively responsible as they address matters that they perceive to be only partially under their control. Researchers concluded that interviewed teachers may be collectively experiencing some form of crisis of confidence relating to their roles, responsibilities and identity as university teachers. Although perceptions of limited autonomy, relatedness and competence all suggest solutions at the institutional level, their combination and link to generic academic identity suggests that Covid-19 may have exposed broader limitations in university teaching as a collegiate, rather than professional, activity.

The Impact of Large Language Models on Medical Education: Preparing for a Revolutionary Shift in Doctor Training

This article presents insights gained from utilizing Collaborative Autoethnography (CA), a qualitative research method, by two international faculty members who documented their experiences from a year-long participation in a Faculty Learning Community (FLC) at a midwestern university in the US. The FLC aimed to create a supportive environment where international faculty and graduate students could discuss their challenges, struggles, and joys related to their 'international-ness'. Through autoethnographic reflection, the study highlights how FLC participation helped mediate initial anxieties and dilemmas for one faculty member (Galina) and facilitated a productive reconceptualization of teaching for the other (Henny). The findings demonstrate the value of reflecting on personal experiences through autoethnography, allowing the participants to draw practical lessons that connect their FLC involvement to their individual teaching contexts and personal struggles in establishing a viable teacher identity. The article concludes with pedagogical recommendations on structuring future FLCs to better address the needs of international faculty.

‘Social Science Teacher? Anyone Can Become’: Examining Professional Subject Identity of Social Science Teachers in India

Teacher identity can serve as an important lens to examine the way teachers traverse the various demands made of them by policymakers and stakeholders in the school system, with their own perspectives of self and their work. Official narratives and curriculum documents lead to the construction of a public identity and what it means to be a ‘good teacher’ in a broad and generic sense. However, much less attention is paid to teachers’ biographical accounts of their professional identity, from a stance as practitioners of a specific subject, and their lived experiences, thereof. This article reports on a qualitative study undertaken as a pilot project for a doctoral dissertation, where six social science teachers from Mumbai and Bangalore, participated in three online focus group discussions. The framework used to analyse the data is Goffman’s dramaturgical theory of impression management. Findings reveal that social science teachers present their professional identity using reified expressions of competence, idealise social science as a subject, and seek validation of their status as teachers of a nonutility subject. These are discussed in the context of recently proposed educational reforms in India, with the recommendation that policymakers must take cognizance of this fragile sense of subject identity and an acute sense of disempowerment facing social science teachers, who are not averse to accountability measures per se, to enhance their standing.

Language teacher identity tensions: nexus of agency, emotion and investment Language teacher identity tensions: nexus of agency, emotion and investment , edited by Zia Tajeddin and Bedrettin Yazan, Oxon and New York, Routledge, 2024, 269 pp., £ 104.00 (hardback), ISBN: 9781032514727

Language teacher identity tensions: nexus of agency, emotion and investment <b>Language teacher identity tensions: nexus of agency, emotion and investment</b> , edited by Zia Tajeddin and Bedrettin Yazan, Oxon and New York, Routledge, 2024, 269 pp., £ 104.00 (hardback), ISBN: 9781032514727

ATTITUDE OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS TOWARDS INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM AT ELEMENTARY STAGE

The present study has made an attempt to find out the attitude of elementary school teachers towards inclusive classroom. Teacher’s attitude has a significant role in implementing the inclusive education in classroom.The populationof the study comprised of all the elementary teachers of Puri district. Out of this, 70 teachers were selected through incidental sampling from 20 schools of Nimapara Block of Puri district. Teachers’ attitude towards inclusive classroom was studied on the basis of three demographic variables i.e. locality, qualification and experience. The study was descriptive in nature and two tools (attitude scale and questionnaire) were used for data collection. The findings of the study revealed that (i) There is no significant difference in the attitude of rural and urban teachers towards inclusive classroom (ii) No significant difference is foundin the attitude of more qualified and less qualified teachers towards inclusive classroom and (iii)No significant difference isfoundin the attitude of more experienced and less experienced teachers towards inclusive classroom. Moreover, 90 percent teachers’ perceived inclusion is a desirable educational practice as inclusive classroom facilitates participation, encourage cooperation and enhance learning achievement of students. Only 10 percent teachers perceived inclusion negatively. The study has analysed some of the barriers to the development of successful inclusive practices and suggested the ways for overcoming these difficulties and to reconsider the roles, responsibilities and identities of teachers.

Creative righting: autoethnographic creative writing as a tool to prevent teacher burnout and attrition

ABSTRACT Teacher burnout is a key feature of the current international crisis of teacher shortages. Teachers are feeling isolated, marginalised and disempowered. Research on burnout in teachers has focused on attrition and how to avoid it. However, factors contributing to teacher burnout are multi-dimensional and complex. Consequently, any potential solution must be able to address such complexities in a personalised way. The literature tells us that personal reflection and discussing experiences, particularly negative or those that involve conflict, can result in improvements in teacher identity, positive teaching experience, positive mental health, and thus less burnout. In my own case of burnout, I used autoethnographic writing to re-imagine challenging episodes from my career. The creative and reflective processes reinvigorated my passion for teaching so that writing and sharing stories became an unexpected pathway away from burnout and into empowerment. The use of autoethnographic creative writing to tell and reflect upon the challenges of teaching offers a personalised and valuable way to address the complex variables of burnout affecting individuals. Importantly, one does not have to be an expert in creative writing to be effective. More research is needed to determine whether this approach has wider appeal and benefit for educators experiencing burnout.

Unveiling the TikTok Teacher: The Construction of Teacher Identity in the Digital Spotlight

Unveiling the TikTok Teacher: The Construction of Teacher Identity in the Digital Spotlight

Exploring teacher identity development: Asian teaching assistants' experience at a U.S. university

AbstractThis study explored the teacher identity development of Asian teaching assistants (ATA) at a U.S. university. The researchers used a qualitative design with two semi‐structured interviews with each of the three participants. Findings suggest that ATAs were unprepared for racial diversity and experienced anti‐Asian sentiment in the classroom during the COVID‐19 pandemic. They struggled to make sense of the content of the courses they were teaching due to a lack of systematic training. Some constructed teacher identity through a challenging process: moving from being self‐doubting, nervous, and frustrated to being comfortable, confident, and even creative. The findings suggest that universities should pay attention to the preparation of international teaching assistants (ITA) for teaching in a multicultural U.S. context with unfamiliar student expectations for teaching and learning.

Unveiling the Professional Identity of University Educators: A Qualitative Study

The formation of a university professor's identity is a complex process, which begins with academic training and evolves through professional practice. This study explores the experiences that shape the identity of university teachers, focusing on personal, social and professional perspectives. Through the qualitative approach, using in-depth interviews with 10 participants with an average age of 50 years, the research revealed significant factors. It found a correlation between female gender and preference for teaching careers, as well as the substantial influence of parental guidance on career choice, driven by considerations of economic stability and familiar work environments. In terms of personal identity, the testimonies underscored the influential role of parental expectations in career decision making. Social identity was strongly influenced by family prestige and the broader social context. On the professional level, the research revealed that years of positive teaching experience contribute to the reinforcement of one's professional identity. However, it also highlighted the fluid nature of a university professor's teaching identity, subject to the fluctuations of positive and negative experiences encountered in daily practice. While these experiences can reinforce a sense of vocation and professional development, the lack of a cohesive teaching identity poses risks to the quality of educational services provided to students. Received: 7 September 2023 / Accepted: 23 April 2024 / Published: 5 May 2024