Abstract
This paper explores the complex processes involved in the self-construction of
academic identity in a UK School of Education. Building on seminal literature
in this field and drawing on the research of four academics, it begins by discussing teacher educators’ varying perceptions of the need to re-configure their identity to meet the expectations of a twenty-first-century higher education
workforce. The article proposes the formation of this identity to be a dynamic,
career-long process. Diverse scaffolds for the development process are proposed,
including opportunities for new teacher educators to be apprenticed into an aca-
demic role, the centrality of communities of practice and the importance of the 15
supported development of academic skills such as writing for publication.
academic identity in a UK School of Education. Building on seminal literature
in this field and drawing on the research of four academics, it begins by discussing teacher educators’ varying perceptions of the need to re-configure their identity to meet the expectations of a twenty-first-century higher education
workforce. The article proposes the formation of this identity to be a dynamic,
career-long process. Diverse scaffolds for the development process are proposed,
including opportunities for new teacher educators to be apprenticed into an aca-
demic role, the centrality of communities of practice and the importance of the 15
supported development of academic skills such as writing for publication.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 56-70 |
| Journal | Professional Development in Education |
| Volume | 40 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2014 |
Keywords
- teacher educators; academic identity; multiple identities; communities