Looking at teacher identity through self-regulation

In the present study, we designed a model of self-regulated inquiry that connects theory to practice for teachers to deepen their understanding of the core beliefs, commitment, and the experiences shaping their professional identity. The rationale of this model was grounded in motivational and identity theories related to self-regulation, self-efficacy, and goal setting. We posed three questions to 342 participants enrolled in graduate courses in educational psychology. These questions formed part of an interview process used as a dialogic retrospection to elicit teachers' voices. The results were summarized in meaningful written narratives, which were analyzed for generative themes. The researchers identified several themes that related to findings from the literature, confirming that (a) teacher identity is a complex construct, related to teachers' experiences of success and frustration, age, and cultural context; (b) the dialogic retrospection served as a mediator to clarify what influenced their teacher identity, and (c) the self-regulated inquiry model helped teachers to assess the development of their professional growth from a motivational perspective. Implications for teacher education and research to expand the notion of teacher identity are discussed.