The authoring of self: looking at preservice teachers' professional identities as reflected in an online environment
Year: 2003
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore the identity construction of six \npreservice teachers who participated in a reading specialization program for three \nconsecutive semesters. This study employed a qualitative methodology and \nsought to document the nature of online responses posted to an online bulletin \nboard and discover individual teacher identity construction in the context of a \nreading specialization program. Data sources included archived electronic \nmessages and course responses, participant interviews, reflective journals, and \nelectronic portfolios. Constant-comparative analysis as described by Lincoln and \nGuba (1985) and discourse analysis, informed by Gee (1999), were used to \nuncover the ways in which preservice teachers developed their teaching selves. \nStudy findings suggest that preservice teachers negotiated multiple \nidentities, utilized varied knowledge sources, and relied on practical experiences \nto author their developing selves as teachers. Implications of this investigation \nsuggest that computer mediated communication, a community structure, carefully \nplanned coursework, extended field experiences, and a personalized model of \nteaching provided opportunities for preservice teachers to reflect on their \ndeveloping identities as reading teachers. Online responses allowed for \ncollaborative reflection, attention to dialogic relations between peers and \nuniversity faculty, and an expanded group identity. Further examination of online \ndiscourse is needed along with understanding the knowledge construction and \nmultiple discourses preservice teachers negotiate as they move from a teacher \npreparation program into their own classrooms
Author: Lori Czop Assaf
Institution: The University of Texas at Austin
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2284089608