Teacher Professional Identity Research Articles

Pre-Service Social sciences Teachers’ Perspectives of their Teacher Professional Identity in a South African University within the Context of Curriculum Integration

The purpose of this study is to investigate the perspectives of pre-service teachers regarding their identity as social sciences teachers. The aim is to summarise their subject and topic preferences within the social sciences curriculum and to propose ways in which social sciences can be strengthened as an integrated curriculum. This study is based on the questionnaire responses of twenty-three final year Intermediate Phase (Grade 4-6) and Senior Phase (Grade 7-9) pre-service social sciences teachers at a South African university. Forty-three percent of the participants indicated that they do not prefer teaching either History or Geography. A limited response to the questionnaire from pre-service teachers resulted in a small sample size which may not be representative of other pre-service social sciences teachers. The research presented can inform social sciences teacher training programmes about how pre-service teachers view themselves and how they feel about social sciences as an integrated school subject.

Professional Identity Construction of Novice Translator Trainers in Iran: An Ecological Study

Teacher professional identity, understood as the ways in which teachers perceive themselves as teachers, their professional roles and practices, has received enough scholarly attention in education. However, translator trainer identity is a relatively understudied area in translation studies. Acknowledging this research gap, the paper explores the factors involved in constructing Iranian early career translator trainers’ professional identity using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. Data on the experiences of five Iranian translator trainers in their first five years of teaching were gathered through narratives and semi-structured interviews. Using MAXQDA, a qualitative software program, the data were subjected to thematic analysis to identify patterns and themes. Findings revealed that various factors, such as students’ and department expectations, multiple professional identities, socioeconomic issues, educational policies, and the socio-cultural context, negatively or positively (re)shape translator trainers’ identity, affecting their professional development and performance. The paper concludes by arguing that training programs should provide prospective trainers with practical experiences and individual and group reflection to prepare them for the complexities of university teaching and help them develop a positive and effective professional identity.

A Study of the Relationship between Work Engagement, Psychological Capital and Professional Identity of Rural Primary School Teachers

A Study of the Relationship between Work Engagement, Psychological Capital and Professional Identity of Rural Primary School Teachers

The Professional Identity of Primary Mathematics Teachers and Their Intention to Implement STEM Education in Mainland China

As mathematics is one of the key disciplines of STEM education, primary mathematics teachers can play important roles in STEM education, and it is generally acknowledged that teachers’ professional identity can affect their teaching effectiveness. With the attention paid to STEM education in Mainland China, it is of great significance to find out the primary mathematics teachers’ level of intention to implement STEM education. This research was aimed at studying the degree of professional identity of primary mathematics teachers from different cities in Guangdong, the most populous province of Mainland China, and tried to figure out their intentions about implementing STEM education, further exploring whether there is a correlation between the above two variables. The paper mainly adopted quantitative research, through online questionnaires (n = 41), finding that the professional identity of primary mathematics teachers in Guangdong, Mainland China, is at a mid to upper level and they generally have a positive intention to implement STEM education. Through correlation analysis, this study verified that the teachers’ professional identity and intention to implement STEM education are significantly positively correlated (r = 0.69, p < 0.001), and found that professional identity shows a positive impact in predicting teachers’ intention to implement STEM education (b = 0.89, p < 0.001). Meanwhile, the gender factor has a significant impact on predicting STEM intention using identity (b = 0.35, p < 0.01). Overall, with these findings, this empirical research identified the potential influencing factors for promoting STEM education in Mainland China in the future.

All that came with me...: Imprints on the professional identity and personal teaching models of novice biology teachers

Resumen Dada la importancia del proceso de inserción laboral de docentes principiantes y de su comprensión para repensar la formación inicial (FI) y continua, decidimos identificar huellas dejadas por las biografías personales, la FI y las incorporaciones a nuevas configuraciones sociales de la inserción laboral, en la identidad profesional y los modelos didácticos personales (MDP) de docentes noveles de la provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Por medio del análisis de contenido de autobiografías, entrevistas, registros de observación de clases, planificaciones y materiales didácticos de ocho profesoras, interpretamos que ellas recuperarían prácticas vivenciadas durante su escolarización; los aportes de la FI resultarían limitados para la práctica profesional; la relación con el estudiantado cobraría especial importancia en la reflexión sobre el rol y reconstrucción identitaria y de MDP. Entendemos que este estudio constituye un avance en la línea de investigación acerca de las construcciones identitarias y los modelos didácticos del profesorado novel.

The Influencing Factors and Improvement Strategies of Professional Identity of Rural Primary and Secondary School Teachers in Poverty-Stricken Areas

The Influencing Factors and Improvement Strategies of Professional Identity of Rural Primary and Secondary School Teachers in Poverty-Stricken Areas

Beyond Understanding English Instruction: Shaping and Balancing the Professional Identity of EFL Teachers in Saudi Arabia

Beyond Understanding English Instruction: Shaping and Balancing the Professional Identity of EFL Teachers in Saudi Arabia

Drawing teacher identity: Perspectives of students in a teacher education program

Teacher identity significantly influences pedagogical decisions, classroom practices, and professional development. Understanding the development of preservice teacher identity is particularly important during initial teacher education, as it involves navigating and integrating the perspectives of both a learner and an emerging teacher. This exploratory study investigated the perceptions of teacher identity held by students in a teacher education program at a public university in the United States. Guided by phenomenography and a drawing-based research method, the data sources included drawing tasks and a focus group interview. The findings revealed that the participants had predominantly positive and idealistic views of teacher identity, using various affect-laden symbols in their drawings and depicting themselves with positive characteristics. Although their classrooms were depicted as traditional, the participants emphasized their commitment to promoting student-centered learning and fostering a positive classroom atmosphere. Past schooling experiences were found to be integral in shaping teacher identity, as well as their motivation and passion for teaching a particular subject or concentration area. The findings highlighted that the participants held strong perceptions of teacher identity even before entering the teacher education program. Thus, this study posits that addressing teacher education students' pre-existing beliefs and perceptions is essential to developing positive professional teacher identity development and confirms that drawing can be a powerful reflective tool that stimulates self-awareness of prior beliefs and views toward their chosen teaching profession, thereby preparing them to learn, unlearn, and relearn many aspects of one's personal and professional identity.

Examination of High School Physics Teachers’ Professional Identity: A Case Study

This study aimed to explore physics teachers’ professional identity through multiple-case methodology. The goal of physics teacher education is to enhance teachers’ professional development to address the suggestions of reform-based science education. Science teachers’ professional identity has been explored at different grade levels: science teachers defined themselves as content teachers, classroom managers, or isolated workers. In this study, physics teachers’ professional identity is analyzed and explained through Wenger’s (1998) theory of learning. The participants were three male high school physics teachers. Data were collected through interviews, reflections, lesson plans, and classroom observations and analyzed through thematic analysis. The results showed that participating teachers had different identity characteristics in that they were defined as question-oriented, project-oriented, or lecture-oriented teachers. The question-oriented teacher focused on questioning to elicit students’ ideas on different types of questions, the project-oriented teacher tended to encourage students to explore the real-life physics through projects, and the lecture-oriented teacher aimed to explain the content through following a smart notebook including all content explanations and sample questions. The analysis through Wenger’s theory showed that the relationship between teachers’ beliefs and practices was linked to physics teachers’ professional identity. The study has important implications to understand development and characteristics of teacher professional identity.

Teacher Professional Identity, Work Engagement, and Emotion Influence: How Do They Affect Teachers’ Career Satisfaction

Teachers’ behaviours significantly influence students’ learning outcomes but also play an important role in national development and construction. However, few studies have attempted to investigate the interrelationships between teachers’ professional identity, work engagement, emotion, and attitude towards career satisfaction. This study aims to explore the effect of professional identity and emotion on work engagement and career satisfaction separately and to investigate the influence of work engagement on attitude and, subsequently career satisfaction. A convenience sampling technique includes 221 valid questionnaires that were subjected to descriptive analysis followed by subsequent empirical testing of the populated hypotheses using SPSS and AMOS. Results showed that professional identity and emotion positively influence work engagement and career satisfaction respectively. Work engagement positively influenced attitude and, subsequently career satisfaction. Last, the theoretical and practical implications and limitations were discussed.

Building Teacher Personal Identity: An Autobiography of an Indonesian Non-native English Teacher

This research explores the professional identity formation of non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) from a personal viewpoint, an area not extensively covered in existing literature. While there is a wealth of discussion on teacher professional identity, the subjective experiences of NNESTs in shaping their own identities are often overlooked. This autobiographical narrative study addresses this gap by examining my own experiences as an NNEST, integrating reflections from my time as a student and my practice as a teacher. Employing thematic analysis, this research scrutinizes reflection data and artifacts gathered throughout my academic and professional journey. This method allows for a comprehensive examination of how various experiences influence professional identity formation. The findings reveal that an NNEST's professional identity is significantly shaped by the professional context, which includes direct teaching experiences and teacher education, as well as the external political environment, such as government policies and efforts to improve educational quality. The study is particularly relevant in the context of developing countries, like Indonesia, highlighting the intricate relationship between personal experiences, professional settings, and the wider political context in the development of NNEST identities. This research contributes a unique perspective to the field of teacher identity and underscores the distinct challenges and influences that NNESTs encounter in their professional growth.

Identidad Profesional docente en la Educación Física: Una revisión integrativa de literatura

In recent decades, the teaching profession, as a result of changes in the professional space and post-Bologna training processes, has been the target of multiple transformations emerging in the reconfiguration of teachers' professional identities, which is why it is important to provide knowledge about its construction process.The purpose of this review is to understand how the Professional Teacher Identity in Physical Education is built and to identify the elements that contribute to its construction. The review was carried out in the Dialnet databases between 2010 and 2022 using the as keywords: Professional Identity and Physical Education, in Spanish or Portuguese in peer-review academic journals. 18 research papers were selected among 54 identified that where submitted to a thematic analysis. Three themes were identified: i) professional teaching identity construction (9 studies), ii) elements that contributed to teacher professional identity (3 studies), iii) construction and elements related to teacher professional identity (6 studies). The findings suggest that teacher professional identity is building from personal, social and professional interactions within a dynamic and progressive process during initial training and professional practices influenced by previous experiences.

Chinese English teachers’ professional identity and commitment and their associations with their professional success

The success of any educational context, including language classes, highly depends on teachers’ professional success. Thus, understanding the antecedents of this construct is of great importance. The importance of teacher professional success has inspired many practitioners and scholars worldwide to look into the potential predictors of this variable. Nonetheless, the function of teachers’ professional traits in predicting their professional success has scarcely been examined. In addition, the predictive role of professional identity and professional commitment has remained under-researched. Against this backdrop, the present inquiry inspected the connections between teacher professional identity, teacher commitment, and teacher professional success. This research also explored the effects of professional identity and commitment on Chinese English teachers’ success. To this aim, 300 Chinese English teachers were recruited from Henan, Hubei, Shanghai, Beijing, Jilin, and Shandong Province. Following the distribution of consent forms, three reliable inventories were sent to respondents. The evaluation of the collected data revealed close and positive links between professional identity, professional commitment, and professional success. Data analysis also represented that professional identity and professional commitment can directly influence Chinese English teachers’ success in professional environments. The outcomes of current research may have important implications for language instructors and teacher educators.

Eluding easy definitions: A review of Literary Knowing and the Making of English Teachers—The Role of Literature in Shaping English Teachers' Professional Knowledge and Identities

Literary Knowing and the Making of English Teachers offers a thorough exploration of the relationship between literature, knowledge, and the professional identities of English teachers. The book engages fundamental questions about knowledge in the English classroom and presents a 3‐year longitudinal study involving 24 early‐career English teachers in Australia. Through interviews and a national survey, the authors provide a multivocal exploration of teachers' perceptions of literary knowledge, curriculum design, and their roles in mediating the relationship between students and texts. This thought‐provoking work highlights literature's formative role in shaping teachers' professional practices and identities while inviting readers to reflect on the broader debates surrounding literature's place in the English Language Arts classroom.

Pre-Service Teacher Professional Identity Formation: Narrative study on Indonesian Accounting Teacher Candidate

This research investigates the components of professional identity among prospective accounting teachers, a topic largely unexplored in existing literature. Conducted in Indonesia, the qualitative study adopts a narrative design with six participants from both private and public universities. Data collection involves participants independently recording narratives throughout their first to third years of study, capturing the evolution of their professional identity. Results reveal a progression in professional identity formation over the three years. In the initial year, emphasis is on instructional abilities. By the second year, a notable shift occurs, with elements such as multitasking, game-based teaching, and character values gaining prominence. Furthermore, flexibility, agility, sensitivity, and tech savvy emerge as identity components. The third year marks a significant transformation, with a focus on soft skills, time management, and a sense of responsibility as central components of professional identity for prospective accounting teachers. It is crucial to acknowledge that these components remain subject to further evolution with continued analysis. The study recommends subsequent research utilizing quantitative methods, specifically exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the identified professional identity components. This research contributes to the broader discourse on professional identity, shedding light on the nuanced development within the context of prospective accounting teachers.

Professional Teacher Identity on the Boundary: Student Study Group Facilitators Negotiating Their Identity

This study focuses on undergraduate student paraprofessionals who facilitated peer study groups for academically challenging college courses. A grounded qualitative research study of these student facilitators at an institution identified their professional identity development in unexpected ways that went against written policies for teacher attitudes and behaviors. Rather than perceiving themselves as peer study group facilitators following a narrow job description, many of them referred to themselves as teachers and acted accordingly, breaking the boundaries of behavior established by the study group program administrator. This article unmasks this professional identity emergence, postulates the mechanism for this choice, presents a model to explain it, and makes recommendations for talking openly about this identity and the subsequent behaviors that occurred as a result by the facilitators and the implications for the PAL program.

Torn between socio-political mandates and professional identity: Teachers’ collaborative reflection on their identity tensions

Although the construction of language teacher professional identity is situated in a social, political, and ideological context, scant attention has been paid to tensions emerging from the nexus between identity construction and these contextual variables. To address this gap, this study drew on English language teachers’ collaborative reflection to provide an emic perspective on the role of the socio-cultural context in the formation of teachers’ professional identity. Eight novice and experienced English language teachers participated in two separate collaborative reflection panels (four teachers in each panel) to reflect on the role of the socio-cultural context in Iran in their professional identity construction and identity tensions. Analysis of teachers’ reflection showed that three sets of interrelated socio-cultural variables impacted the participants’ professional identity tensions: (1) macro state-level variables; (2) meso institutional-level variables; and (3) micro individual-level variables. The findings also indicated that the participating teachers took different positions to resolve the tensions they experienced between their personal ideologies and external expectations at these three levels. The main implication of this study is for institutional administrators and teacher educators to devise plans to lessen the degree of tensions that teachers might experience in their process of professional identity construction and to afford them the agency to resolve these tensions.

Status Quo of the Professional Identity of Teachers: A Quantitative Study of College EFL Teachers in China

The professional identity of teachers has been a recurring subject of research in recent years with most of the studies being theoretical or qualitative. However, there is still a lack in the number of quantitative studies done on the professional identity of teachers using a measured scale or inventory. Aiming to find out the status quo of the professional identity of college EFL teachers in the context of college English teaching reform, this study attempts to establish and validate a measure of the professional identity of teachers’ questionnaire. With good validity and reliability, the questionnaire consists of five constructs: occupational behavior tendency, value identity, English teaching reform, self-efficacy and job satisfaction. The findings of this study indicate that college EFL teachers have a relatively high level of professional identity with the constituting constructs of the professional identity of college teachers having scored from high to low as follows: English teaching reform, professional behavior tendency, job satisfaction, self-efficacy and value identity. Moreover, there is no significant difference in the professional identity level of college EFL teachers concerning gender. Finally, the implications of exploring the professional identity of teachers are also discussed.

Exploring teacher identity tensions and coping strategies in a comparative case study of primary school teachers’ narratives

ABSTRACT Teacher professional identities are considered crucial to link teachers’ personal experiences with the social and professional changes needed for improved learning in schools. In this research study, we aim to investigate teachers’ identity tensions and coping strategies in four different school contexts in Nanqi (a pseudonym) County in China. A constructivist perspective guided the choice of a qualitative approach to inquiry in this study. Ambiguities, tensions, and culturally specific references coexisted in teacher professional identities and individual teachers’ ethical and emotional pursuit of integrity and purpose at work. Employing the research strategy of narrative inquiry, this study suggested forms of tensions when teachers attempt to align their multiple and often conflicting sub identities in changing and diversifying school contexts, namely, emotional tensions, social tensions, developmental tensions and ethical tensions. Our research findings detail the circumstances that trigger different types of identity tension and how teachers experience and respond to them in different ways, which link with different working contexts and teachers’ focus of professional development. The results also reveal the need for greater recognition of ‘negative’ aspects of teachers’ professional identity development and the value of longitudinal research designs to further facilitate the exploration.

Exploring the Influences of Teacher Professional Identity on Teachers’ Emotion Among Vietnamese Secondary School Teachers

Abstract Education for sustainable development recognizes the ways, in which teachers improve education, by utilizing their skills to the fullest extent and reconsidering the conditions of the teaching profession. The relationship between teachers’ professional identity and teachers’ emotions is an issue that needs to be studied as a basis for improving the effectiveness of their professional activities. Thus, a standardized questionnaire was used to describe the characteristics of Vietnamese secondary teachers and the influence of teacher professional identity (TPI) on working emotions. The study was conducted in Vietnam using two survey instruments aimed to determine the role of TPI contribution in the different dimensions of teachers’ emotions (anger, fear, joy, love and sadness). Findings revealed that a higher level of TPI social dimension was among participating Vietnamese teachers, and a lower level was towards career with negative emotions such as anger, fear and sadness. In addition, higher levels of the institutional dimension of TPI were associated with lower levels of teachers’ feeling of joy in their career; and when the level of the personal dimension of TPI was higher, teachers’ sense of love towards their profession was higher. Three implications of the study are proposed to help promote teacher identity, in ways that contribute to positive emotion in executing their teaching task. In other words, when teachers had a higher motivation, satisfaction, and commitment, they could perceive teaching as a noble job and be full of positivity. This made teachers ready for professional development in compliance with sustainability education goals.