Preservice teachers’ perception of the impact of social movement on their career aspirations

• In Event: Navigating Borderlands: Stories of Teachers Shaping Justice-Oriented Classrooms

Abstract

The present study analysed seven preservice teachers’ appraisal of the Anti-ELAB social movement in Hong Kong, to understand how their various sensemaking leads to different levels of intentions to stay in the teaching field. A narrative inquiry approach was employed. As demonstrated by prompt writing and interview, all seven participants exhibited a strong motivation to be a teacher before the movement. With diversified concerns with different aspects of the movement, four participants maintained their teaching aspiration and three participants’ career identity was weakened. Concerning the future plan, all seven participants considered taking a teacher’s job as a short-term plan. The present study highlights the importance of understanding preservice teachers’ career goals by considering the person-society fit.

Author

• Huixuan Xu, The Education University of Hong Kong