Experiencing Professional Identity of Vocational College Teachers

Abstract

Background and Originality: The quality of the learning process in higher vocational schools is also influenced by the awareness of experiencing teachers' identity. It is important to be aware of how teachers' identity affects their personal identity and their satisfaction with the chosen profession. The article aims to contribute to a greater recognition of the teaching profession at a vocational college in Slovenia, identify different practices of experiencing the teaching profession, and gain insight into the possible gap between theory and practice. Not only sound education but also vigilance and commitment are needed. Most of the selected topics focused on the new perspective, recognising that by acknowledging the characteristics of teachers' identity and the teaching profession and its experiences, we contribute significantly to greater visibility of the teaching profession.

Method: We used different studies based on content analysis of various articles from the existing literature of foreign and domestic authors. We conducted semi-structured interviews and the moderator's diary entry, which we analysed based on a qualitative approach, using the definition of third-order concepts and thematic network.

Results: The results of the study show that teachers are inexperienced at the beginning of their careers and pass through different stages, from sovereignty to competence, as their professional experience increases. Professional experience influences perceptions of the teaching profession and thus professional identity. In the latter, knowledge is most important for teachers, followed by communication and personality traits. Teachers believe that the environment influences them by valuing the role of the teacher. Initially, teachers are sceptical of the environment, but as they gain professional experience, they perceive the environment's support, which influences their professional identity.

Society: The teacher is first and foremost the one who gives value to one's profession by acknowledging one's identity, role, task, and experience with the environment and society. This increases the value of the educational process and, consequently, society's academic and cultural level.

Limitations / further research: We have limited our research from selective databases from a predetermined period. The study includes a small sample of teachers from southeastern Slovenia. Further research could be conducted on a larger sample using focus groups, where interaction between the participants themselves is possible and examined through the lens of the length of professional experience. As such, additional differences in the experience of the teaching profession in relation to professional experience can be revealed.

Keywords: teacher, personality, identity, competencies, role, characteristics, recognition.