Developing student teachers’ professional identities – An exploratory study

Abstract

Previous research has shown that while pre-service teachers' formation of their professional identity is shaped by their own teaching and learning experiences, pre-service programmes can make a difference. Our study examines pre-service teachers' professional identity development at the point of entry and exit of their 4-year undergraduate initial teacher preparation programme. Our study aims to establish a baseline understanding of their perceptions about teaching before they embark on the initial teacher preparation programme and to explore the changes in their perceptions (if any) at the point of graduation from the programme. The implications of the findings are discussed in terms of informing admission criteria into the programmes, how initial teacher preparation programmes can be enhanced and key areas of focus for beginning teacher induction programmes. [{ABSTRACT} {FROM} {AUTHOR]} Copyright of International Education Studies is the property of Canadian Center of Science & Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)