Curriculum Reform and Iranian EFL Teachers' Professional Identity: A Marathon of Change!

Riahipour, Parisa; Tavakoli, Mansoor; Eslami Rasekh, Abbas

doi:10.22034/elt.2021.42087.2294

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

¹ Department of English, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran

² Department of English Language, Faculty of Foreign Languages, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

³ English Department, Faculty of Foreign Languages, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22034/elt.2021.42087.2294

Abstract

Professional identity has been perpetually an underlying factor in teacher development. The maintenance of a strong professional identity is a key factor in teacher development which is ultimately a fundamental aspect in the prosperity or failure of any educational system. As a dynamic phenomenon, teachers’ professional identity can be influenced by a variety of factors and particularly any type of educational reform. The present study with an explanatory mixed method design was used to investigate transitions in Iranian EFL teachers’ professional identity in the context of Fundamental Reform Document of Education (2012). For the quantitative phase of the study, a researcher-made questionnaire developed based on the four components of professional identity namely, self-image, self-esteem, job motivation and task perception proposed by Kelchtermans (1993) was distributed among 98 Iranian EFL teachers. Considering the ongoing nature of the professional identity, the questionnaire was assigned to the teachers during the pre-reform and post – reform era. In the qualitative phase, in order to capture a comprehensive picture of the salient factors of teachers’ professional identity and their underlying reasons, a set of semi-structured interviews with 7 volunteer teachers were conducted. The findings revealed that the introduction of the curriculum reform made no change in teachers’ professional identity in terms of self-esteem and task perception, but it slightly affected teachers’ self-image and job motivation. The findings also revealed a potential transition path in Iranian EFL teachers’ professional identity development. Finally, some implications for policy-makers and material developers and suggestions for future researchers were discussed.

Keywords

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Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning

Curriculum Reform and Iranian EFL Teachers' Professional Identity: A Marathon of Change!

References

References

Volume 12, Issue 26 - Serial Number 26
November 2020
Pages 435-463

Curriculum Reform and Iranian EFL Teachers' Professional Identity: A Marathon of Change!

References

References

Volume 12, Issue 26 - Serial Number 26November 2020Pages 435-463

Volume 12, Issue 26 - Serial Number 26
November 2020
Pages 435-463