Teachers' professional identity construction: a review of the literature

Abstract

The construction of teachers’ professional identity (TPI) is a key issue in current research, so a wide range of scholars has focused their interest on that topic. Its construction and evolution are influenced by a wide range factor (personal, professional and contextual) along the initial training period. This review aims to know how TPI within initial training among Secondary Education teachers evolves, how teacher training programs approach it, and which elements may influence its development. Therefore, a meta-analysis was used to examine the existing literature between 1990 and 2019. A total of 35 research studies were analysed showing an increase temporal tend. Most of them agree with the definition of the main term (TPI), the need to train it within initial training as well as the influence of determining factors in its construction. To conclude, this study evinces the different approaches and perspectives that have been considered in research on TPI, and, as a consequence, the varied study possibilities.

The construction of teachers’ professional identity (TPI) is a key issue in current research, so a wide range of scholars has focused their interest on that topic. Its construction and evolution are influenced by a wide range factors (personal, professional and contextual) along the initial training period. This review aims to know how TPI within initial training among Secondary Education teachers evolves, how teacher training programs approach it and which elements may influence its development. Therefore, a meta-analysis was used to examine the existing literature between 1990 and 2019. A total of 35 research studies were analysed showing an increase temporal tend coinciding in the definition of the main term (TPI) and the need to train it within initial training as well as the influence of determining factors in its construction, so they develop their commitment with future career. To conclude, this work makes a useful and updated contribution to the field and it brings insights regarding where investigation should go further in order to meet educational needs and societal demands.