Professional Identity Through Action Research Process Preschool Teacher Graduate Students Connecting Theory and Practice

• In Event: The Stories We Tell: Identity, Action Research, and Ethnography in Teacher Education

Abstract

Action research has proven to be beneficial to create new knowledge and to make changes in school practice. The process can support teachers’ professional development and evolution of the professional school practice (Kemmis, 2010; Koshy, 2010).
The aim of this study is to shed light on how action research process can support preschool teacher graduate students’ professional identity. This was done in relation to students’ internship over one-year period. Data consists of journal writings from twenty preschool teacher students.
The findings show that the students build up their own professional identity through the process and they became more confident as professionals. Support from peers and teachers in the course proved to be crucial factor for successful journey.

Authors

• Ingibjorg Sigurdardottir, University of Iceland

• Svava B. Mork, University of Iceland