Teacher Professional Identity Research Articles

Fostering excellence: professional associations and the cultivation of teachers’ professional identities

ABSTRACT In the Republic of Croatia, there is not a single overarching professional association for early childhood education (ECE) teachers. Instead, six regional ECE teachers’ associations are actively operating. Recognizing the shared responsibility for upholding professionalism, ECE teachers are proactively seeking a nurturing environment that fosters their professional growth and aligns with their practical requirements. This research was conducted with a sample of 206 ECE teachers in the Republic of Croatia and aimed to explore the role of professional ECE teachers’ associations in shaping the professional identity of ECE teachers within the country. To achieve this objective, a survey questionnaire was designed to assess motivation, self-perception, self-efficacy and attitudes of ECE teachers toward educational tasks and ECE teachers’ professional associations. The findings reveal that both education level and membership in professional associations are predictive factors influencing respondents’ perception of their profession and their professional identity.

How higher education teachers see their professional identity

An important dimension to understand the student learning process is the professional identity of teachers, which is conceptualized as a continuous process of construction and reconstruction. In this process, teachers define and assume their roles in a specific educational context that is characterized by tensions, adjustments, and transformations. This study focuses on understanding the professional identity of higher education teachers, a field characterized by constant evolution and demands. The personal characteristics of this identity are explored, including experiences and biographical representations, as well as its interrelationship with the institutional environment. Using a qualitative interpretive approach, six teachers recognized for their pedagogical innovation and educational commitment were interviewed. The results reveal outstanding motivation and responsibility in educational work, but also tensions between personal identity and the work context, reflected in the perception of low recognition and the importance of institutional leadership. The teachers show a critical and reflective view of their work, influenced by childhood experiences that impact their conceptions of educational justice and equity. To conclude, the common characteristics of professional identity in higher education highlight the need to integrate them into professional development. The article advocates for the design of more personalized training programs and the promotion of continuous learning among peers as key elements to strengthen this identity and improve pedagogical practice.

“I sit here thinking I can do this”—Developing justice‐centered ambitious science teaching identities in professional learning communities

AbstractExplicitly attending to justice in science teaching and learning is long overdue. Here, we examined the professional teacher identity development of 13 science teachers as they collaborated in networked professional learning communities (PLCs) to implement and revise a culture‐setting unit focused on the science of COVID and engaging in collaborative inquiry cycles to identify and refine justice‐centered ambitious science teaching (JuST) practices in classrooms. These JuST practices are conceptualized as a synthesis of justice‐centered pedagogies and ambitious science teaching. To accomplish our research aims, we drew on qualitative methods, where we relied on transcribed video recordings of 21 PLC meetings and three transcribed end‐of‐year focus group interviews of two PLCs (i.e., 13 secondary science teachers, mostly white) across a year‐long period. As a result of our analyses, we identified how professional learning arranged through PLCs, culture‐setting units, and collaborative inquiries supported professional JuST identity development by, among other affordances, providing space for the critical and emotional work of learning to discuss race, affording teachers strategies for getting to know their students and the assets they bring to classrooms, and recognition and positioning of teachers as professionals capable of identifying or developing, refining, and contributing to knowledge about JuST science teaching and learning. Challenges identified included, among others, identifying how the culture‐setting units could be effectively integrated into existing curriculum maps and the uneven implementation support from administrators. In the end, what is revealed helps better conceptualize how engaging teachers in PLCs around tasks like curriculum implementation and refinement or collaborative inquires support professional JuST identity development and how such experiences can be more carefully negotiated.

<b>From Imagination to Practice: Unravelling the Professional Identity of a Pre-service EFL Teacher</b>

This study uses a narrative inquiry method, focusing on the transformation journey of a pre-service EFL teacher named Brandon (pseudonym), to explore the complex process of professional identity construction and reconstruction for pre-service teachers to teach EFL from a teaching practicum. The study gathered information about critical events that shaped Brandon's professional identity through semi-structured interviews and diaries before and during his teaching practice. Using an innovative "story constellation" approach, the research creates a three-dimensional narrative, weaving together temporal, personal, social, and contextual aspects. This exploration of Brandon's journey illuminates the core tenets of effective language teaching, including adaptability, empathy, continuous learning, and a student-centred approach, thereby gaining a deeper understanding of the (re)construction of EFL teachers' professional identities. This study widens knowledge of EFL teachers' pre-teaching professional experiences and offers important implications for teacher education programs.

Путь к инновационному дизайну педагогического образования: Профессиональная идентичность учителей как центральное понятие

Teacher education program as a focal platform of teacher identity construction has extensively been explored recently. This study examines the Engage, Study, Activate (ESA) teacher education model's effectiveness in fostering teacher professional identity. Utilizing Freeman’s (2020) evaluation model, the ESA model's content and design were analyzed. A qualitative case study followed one participant over a year, using written narratives, interviews, and demos. Applying document and thematic analysis, findings showed 93% alignment with Freeman’s knowledge base and identified three key themes: forming personal beliefs, overcoming self-doubt, and developing global citizenship. The study underscores the importance of incorporating intercultural topics, AI, and digital tools into the ESA program, highlighting its value for pre-service teachers, educators, curriculum developers, and researchers in understanding teacher identity.

Contemporary aspects of professional identity of teachers in the field of higher education

The article examines the problems that arise in the work of a university teacher in the context of reforming the higher education system, associated with the phenomenon of professional identity in the context of reforming the higher education system. An attempt has been made to identify factors of teachers' dissatisfaction with their position in society. The author makes an assumption about the possibility of threats of loss of professional values, the emergence of professional deformation of teachers as teachers in the process of implementing the main tasks of professional activity, loss of subjectivity and professional identity.

Professional Dilemmatic Spaces in Swedish School-Age Educare

Global interest in the field of extended education has increased over the past two decades. Extended education in the context of Swedish school-age educare has a unique position in the school system due to its voluntariness and governance as well as the free time and leisure activities it offers pupils and the lack of set learning outcomes. These features create dilemmas for teachers; thus, this study aims to generate knowledge about the complex and challenging dilemmas of school-age educare teachers in their professional work. The results are derived from a thematic analysis of two sets of data: oral and written reflections from 22 school-age educare teachers. The three themes of the teachers’ dilemmas identified concern compulsory school vs. SAEC, offering pupils attractive teaching methods and content, and differing experiences and perspectives among the staff. The dilemmatic spaces that are recognised actualise positions and negotiations in everyday practices in relation to the teachers’ professional identities. The findings are expected to be useful as a constructive starting point for policymakers, teacher trainers, and school-age educare teachers to understand this specific educational context and the need for professional development. This study contributes to a further understanding of the multifaceted professional identities of school-age educare teachers.

APLICAÇÃO DO MÉTODO DAS DISTÂNCIAS MÉDIAS DOS CANAIS RGB NA CLASSIFICAÇÃO DE AMOSTRAS COM MAIS DE UM TIPO DE GRÃO

O Brasil é o maior produtor e exportador de café do mundo, sendo a espécie arábica a mais produzida. A classificação desses grãos permite comercializar um produto de qualidade, identificando possíveis defeitos como a presença de grãos pretos, verdes ou ardidos, responsáveis por trazer prejuízos sensoriais à bebida e reduzir seu valor comercial. O uso de sistemas de visão computacional são alternativas para melhoria de processos dentro da indústria de alimentos, sendo o processo de classificação de alimentos uma das diversas possibilidades. O objetivo do trabalho foi desenvolver um programa de processamento digital de imagens aplicável ao processo de inspeção visual automática da qualidade de grãos de café arábica, quanto aos defeitos por cor. Para tal, foi realizada a aquisição de imagens adquiridos da Indústria & Comércio Café Ouro Verde LTDA, Garanhuns-PE, utilizando máquina fotográfica Nikon 5200 e aparelho celular iphone 7 e iluminador LED circular de 8 polegadas Ring Light, a fim de manter a constância de luz. O processamento de imagens foi realizado a partir da elaboração de um código a partir da plataforma Matlab®. Os grãos foram classificados de acordo com o valor da menor distância média entre os pixels dos canais RGB das imagens teste com as imagens padrão. O código utilizou o método das distâncias médias dos canais RGB (Red, Green, Blue), onde foram utilizadas quatro imagens padrão, referentes aos grãos sadios, pretos, verdes e ardidos e 60 imagens teste. O código conseguiu classificar os grãos com alto valor de acurácia. No entanto, entre os grãos ardidos a acurácia foi de 73,3%, devido à classificação de quatro imagens que foram identificadas como sendo grão verde. O método das distâncias médias dos canais RGB mostrou-se eficaz na classificação dos grãos de café arábica e pode ser utilizado para determinar se o café analisado se encontra dentro dos padrões preconizados pela legislação, ao fazer a análise grão a grão, necessitando apenas de uma boa iluminação e posição da câmera no momento de aquisição das imagens, de modo a evitar interferência por sombras.

Formation of professional identity and motivation among future primary school teachers in the process of educational practice

Introduction. The article examines the problem of forming professional identity and motivation among students in the process of mastering the discipline “Educational practice (research work (obtaining primary skills in research work))”. The current stage of professional training of future teachers is focused on mastering the methods of integrating educational subjects for organizing developmental research activities, which is reflected in the “Core of Higher Pedagogical Education.” The purpose of the article is to substantiate the way of formation of professional identity and motivation of future teachers in the process of educational practice (research work (obtaining primary research skills)”. Materials and Methods. Theoretical and methodological analysis, a method of diagnostic analysis, including a questionnaire of professional identity of students (U. S. Rodygina), diagnosing the internal position of students in relation to their future profession, the components of which are the characteristics of the professional identity of students “Emotional attitude” and “ Conscious activity"; a methodology for determining motivation for vocational training (V.G. Katashev), which allows one to study and analyze the level of motivation of students in the context of their vocational education; methods of mathematical statistics. Results. Testing students – future primary school teachers in the process of educational practice to obtain primary skills in research work allowed us to conclude that the motivation of future primary school teachers is normal. As a result of the study, it was revealed that according to the questionnaire “Professional Identity of Students” (U. S. Rodygina), the highest average score was noted on the scale “positive emotions associated with meeting a person’s needs in the profession”, the lowest average score corresponds to the scale “position of a student’s passive attitude” to the acquired profession”. The results obtained from the diagnostic “Methodology for determining motivation for vocational training” showed that the highest average score corresponds to the normal level of motivation, the lowest – to the average level of motivation. Discussion and Conclusions. The obtained results of the study substantiate the relevance of the problem of forming professional identity and motivation among students of the faculty of primary school teacher training in the process of educational practice. The educational practice carried out at the faculty plays a key role in the formation of students’ primary research skills. The peculiarities of the implementation of this type of practice is that the process of training future teachers consists of three modules: methodological foundations of scientific knowledge; methods of psychological and pedagogical research; registration of the results of scientific work. Each module is aimed at achieving the goal of practice: obtaining primary research skills in organizing and conducting psychological and pedagogical research in education, processing and presenting its results. The module tasks are aimed at students performing a number of practical actions: studying the fundamentals of the scientific method; choosing a topic and research question; literature review; data collection and analysis; interpretation of results; writing a scientific article or report; preparing a presentation; public speaking practice; cooperation with the scientific supervisor; publication and feedback. The authors emphasize the effectiveness of the tasks used in the process of developing students’ research skills.

Teacher Development Dilemma and Solution Ideas in Contemporary Chinese Rural Small-Scale Schools

Small rural schools are an important part of compulsory education and an inevitable form of rural education development. As urbanization accelerates, the movement of rural students to urban schools has led to a drastic reduction in the number and size of rural schools and a serious loss of quality teachers. Currently, rural teachers in China are facing problems such as disconnected interpersonal networks, weakened discourse power, and limited professional development. In order to promote the development of rural education, it is necessary to prioritize the professional development of teachers in small-scale rural schools, innovate the rural teacher training model, focus on the training of native and generalist teachers, and establish inter-school teaching and research teams to achieve the sharing of educational resources. Simultaneously, it is crucial to pay attention to the spiritual needs of rural teachers, enhance the professional identity of young teachers in small-scale rural schools, raise their comprehensive treatment level and reduce the burden of non-teaching tasks, so as to promote the professional development of teachers in small-scale rural schools.

On Reconstruction of Teacher Professional Identity in Curriculum Reform for Vocational Education

Vocational education curriculum is being reformed nationwide less than compulsory education. It sources from demonstrating college construction in higher vocational education, and imports design-oriented curriculum idea from German. To teachers, it is necessary to reconstruct their rights to utterance.

‘Becoming and being online EFL teachers’: Teachers' professional identity in online pedagogy

Teaching online may require teachers to shift to and display a professional identity different from the ones they held in face-to-face classroom teaching. Drawing upon the concept of teacher professional identity (TPI) and employing narrative inquiry as a method, the present study examines how two English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers display their professional identity through reflexivity as they shift experiences of being and becoming online teachers. It also explored how such identity is developed among EFL teachers in Thailand throughout their online teaching experience. The findings underscored how the EFL teachers viewed themselves through reflexivity as beginners as they negotiated their TPI during the sudden transition to online teaching because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the findings, we argue that because TPI is dynamic, the sudden shift to online teaching prompted the teacher-participants to reflect on their experiences and redevelop a professional identity corresponding to online teaching as a new environment. The findings contribute to the literature by highlighting the importance of teachers' reflexivity toward TPI development in online teaching and pedagogy.

Relevance and Experience Constructing Identities as Future Teachers of English Language Learners: Multiple Case Studies of Three Mainstream Teacher Candidates

Given the continuous increase of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in K-12 classrooms in the United States (US), there is no doubt that meeting English language learners’ (ELLs’) linguistic and academic needs is a pressing matter. However, teachers report feeling unprepared or believing that ELLs are the responsibility of other specialists. This study responds to the call for preparing mainstream teachers for today’s diverse classrooms by exploring teacher candidates’ teacher professional identity (TPI) construction. Using multiple case study designs of three mainstream teacher candidates, the findings of this study highlight (a) multiple I-positions engaging in dialogues, (b) relevant teacher education experiences (re)shaping TPIs, and (c) relevant diversity-related issues in macrosociety entering minisociety. Findings indicate the importance of critical reflection in teacher education programs and facilitating opportune and considerate practicum placements. Further implications and recommendations for teacher education research and practice are discussed.

Professional Identity and Self-efficacy of Physical Education Teachers in Xingyi Middle Schools

Professional Identity and Self-efficacy of Physical Education Teachers in Xingyi Middle Schools

Through tensions to identity-based motivations: Exploring teacher professional identity in Artificial Intelligence-enhanced teacher training

This mixed-methods case study explores teacher professional identity (TPI) tensions and motivations for Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration in teaching within a Chinese university-level AI-enhanced teacher training programme. Surveys were completed by 216 attendees, followed by in-depth qualitative analysis of 15 selected teachers. The study reveals TPI groupness-individuality, humanity-technology, and continuity-openness tensions. Three conceptual models are introduced: Human Intelligence and AI as Navigator, Collaborator, and Inventor. It underscores the critical role of tailored AI-enhanced teacher training in harmonising educators’ diverse identities and motivations with technological advancements, signalling a strategic approach for effective AI integration in global teacher education.

The Vocational Ability, Vocational Motivation and Professional Identity of Xiamen University Teachers

With the rapid development of China's higher education, the quality of teachers is becoming more and more important. On the one hand, the vocational ability of college teachers directly affects the effectiveness of higher education; On the other hand, the vocational motivation of college teachers determines the efficiency of higher education. Therefore, whether from the perspective of higher education development, reform, or university management, it is of great theoretical significance and practical value to discuss the professional ability and motivation of university teachers.A modern higher education system cannot be separated from a stable and high-quality teaching team. In order to maintain the stability of the team and continuously improve the professional quality, it is necessary to cultivate the professional identity of college teachers. Professional identity is the recognition degree of college teachers to higher education. Only teachers with strong professional identity can devote themselves to the cause of higher education. Only by systematically summarizing the current situation of professional ability, professional motivation and professional identity of college teachers can we draw the map of college teachers deeply. At the same time, on the basis of the research data, the relationship between professional ability, professional motivation and professional identity can be deeply explored to explore the path to motivate the enthusiasm of college teachers. According to the components of vocational ability, vocational motivation and professional identity, interviews was utilized to determine the educational background and academic background, teaching skills, diversified teaching ability, project management ability, educational innovation ability, communication ability with students and parents, personal ambition, working environment, salary, social identity and career prospects. Salary satisfaction, welfare security satisfaction, personal value realization, social recognition and other dimensions, to deeply explore the professional characteristics of Xiamen university teachers. Through narrative inquiry , the present status of vocational ability ,vocational motivation and occupational identity was explored, and the generation mechanism of occupational identity is sorted out. Future directions of this study was presented as to exploring on other methodology and increasing the locale and sample size.

Being, seeing and recognizing oneself as a teacher who teaches Mathematics: (re)configuring Professional Identities from the perspective of Probabilistic Education

This article aims to understand how actions and practices based on studies on Probability Education contribute to the (re)configuration’s movement of the Professional Identity (PI) of Teachers who Teach Mathematics (TTM). The study is based on a qualitative and interpretative paradigm, relied on a Research-Training path developed in a study group with 11 TTM. To this end, we are based on a characterization of TTM’s PI, which points out a set of elements (macrodomains) that allow us to understand them in their ways of being, seeing and recognizing themselves as such. The results and discussion were based on the apprehension of four Meaning Cores, which indicate that the TTM’s PI were forged from the Learning Paths (re)constituted in the collective/collaborative context of the group and interwoven by elements of personal, emotional, moral and sociopolitical nature that emerged from the enterprise of teaching and learning Probability.

The relationship between challenge-hindrance stress, professional identity, and emotional labor of Chinese preschool teachers.

Teaching will bring work stress and affect emotions, as well as require a high level of professional identity. However, few have examined trilateral relationships between work stress (in terms of challenge-hindrance stress), professional identity, and emotional labor among Chinese preschool teachers during COVID-19. Based on the conservation of resource theory, this study aimed to examine the relationship between challenge-hindrance stress, emotional labor, and professional identity, as well as explore the mediating effects of professional identity between job stress and emotional labor among Chinese preschool teachers. A cross-sectional study was conducted, with 753 preschool teachers completing a self-report questionnaire. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 26.0 and included descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, regression analysis, and mediation effect testing. Research indicated that 1) challenge-hindrance stress was positively correlated with surface acting (r = 0.21, p < 0.01, and r = 0.28, p < 0.01) but negatively correlated with the expression of naturally felt emotions (r = -0.08, p < 0.05, and r = -0.12, p < 0.01); 2) Challenge-hindrance stress was negatively correlated with professional identity (r = -0.08, p < 0.05, and r = -0.20, p < 0.01); 3) Professional identity exhibited positive correlations with the three dimensions of emotional labor (r = 0.12, p < 0.01; r = 0.64, p < 0.01; and r = 0.56, p < 0.01) and partially mediated the relationship between challenge-hindrance stress and emotional labor. The study underscored that challenge-hindrance stress affected emotional labor directly and indirectly through the mediating role of professional identity. Interventions focusing on alleviating work stress and promoting professional identity through comprehensive training could effectively mitigate emotional labor among preschool teachers.

Exploring LGBTQ+ teacher professional identity through the power threat meaning framework

Exploring LGBTQ+ teacher professional identity through the power threat meaning framework

Leitura e escrita acadêmica na formação inicial de professores: Que letramentos?

From a historical perspective on the initial training of teachers in Brazil, a survey of research developed was carried out, locating in articles published in the last two decades the modes of functioning of the school institution, in the continuous movement of learning-teaching-learning reading and academic writing. Historically, Brazil has presented many difficulties in universalizing the learning of reading and writing in a socially significant way. In the direction of the formation of the critical citizen, we discuss the difficulties to make academic reading and writing effective as processes of forming and transforming the condition of citizenship of the Brazilian population. Proceeding with a qualitative approach, the articulation between the lines of investigation of the selected studies, which focused on teacher training, teaching work and the construction of a teacher's professional identity, were analyzed in the defense that being a teacher is to develop a work based on a solid specific training and that initial training courses should also be concerned with teacher professionalization (Nóvoa, 2017). In the case of initial training, it should allow students to go through teaching and learning experiences that are based on the use and reflection of the characteristics of academic writing, so that future teachers know how to deal with the prescriptions inherent to their work context and document their experiences, as the written record becomes part of a routine developed since initial training when the triad reading is adopted, analysis and production of academic texts as a formative and evaluative principle. In this sense, the analyses carried out reveal that academic literacy should permeate the entire initial training of teachers, with objective prescriptions, considering the autonomy of the trainer to plan and replan his classes coherently with his didactic-methodological choices (Mizukami, 2005-2006; 2000), in a political and pedagogical project committed to an education linked to more assertive teaching practices (Gatti, 2014; André et. al., 2010), with academic writing as one of the constitutive elements of a socially referenced quality education.