Negotiating Teacher Identity: Exploring the Use of Electronic Teaching Portfolios With Preservice English Teachers

Abstract

Electronic portfolio use within the context of a teacher education program is explored in this article. Although the use of e‐portfolios has emerged as a topic that integrates new technologies and the education of preservice teachers, little work thus far has documented the complexities involved in the authoring process of e‐portfolios. To address this gap, this article focuses on two preservice teachers' processes of crafting e‐portfolios. Specifically, the article documents the realities of presenting oneself to multiple audiences through the vehicle of the electronic teaching portfolio. The term teacher identity is introduced as a way to describe preservice teachers' need to present themselves through the e‐portfolio as both “competent beginning teachers” and “inquisitive college students.” The author analyzes interviews with preservice teachers, concluding that e‐portfolios can be viewed as potential spaces for important talk about teacher identity.