ERIC Number: EJ1074192
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1359-866X
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Update Your Status: Exploring Pre-Service Teacher Identities in an Online Discussion Group
Lu, Yolanda; Curwood, Jen Scott
Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, v43 n5 p438-449 2015
A substantial body of research indicates that a teacher's identity is an essential aspect of their professional practice. As this body of research grows, researchers have increasingly sought to investigate the nature of pre-service teacher identities. This paper reports on a study that examined identities in the context of a pre-service cohort's online discussion group. By examining the group, this study attempted to address a gap in research knowledge, as research to this date has been unable to investigate pre-service teacher identities in non-course-endorsed or instructor-occupied spaces. A thematic and quantitative analysis of online postings by and interviews with group members provided an insight into how identities performed and related to one another within the online discussion group. The findings indicate that one category of identities emerged from a commitment to the social expectations and values of the group, whilst another emerged out of a personal resistance towards the social norms of group participation and involvement. This study may be useful for teacher educators deliberating the use of online spaces to support pre-service teacher identity development.
Descriptors: Preservice Teacher Education, Preservice Teachers, Computer Mediated Communication, Self Concept, Values, Teacher Educators, Student Attitudes, Social Behavior, Behavior Standards, Group Dynamics, Foreign Countries, Qualitative Research, Semi Structured Interviews, Statistical Analysis
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
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