Teacher education during wartime: professional identity, resilience, and practical training adaptations. A mixed-methods study of student and mentor experiences navigating crisis
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Teacher education programs operating in conflict zones experience profound disruption; however, limited empirical research has examined how acute crises affect professional identity formation and learning processes in real time. In particular, little is known about how pre-service teachers and mentors sustain professional development during the immediate aftermath of large-scale traumatic events. This mixed-methods study examines teacher education during acute conflict, focusing on professional identity formation, attitudes toward teaching, and coping strategies following the October 7, 2023 attacks. Data were collected from 257 participants (227 students and 30 mentors) at one Teacher Training College during the 2024 academic year. Student surveys assessed professional identity (M = 4.93, SD = 0.89), attitudes toward teaching (M = 4.97, SD = 0.89), and coping strategies (M = 2.70, SD = 0.68), complemented by qualitative mentor narratives. Despite extraordinary challenges—including disrupted schedules, modified practicum in evacuation centers, and widespread psychological distress—participants maintained strong professional commitment. Mentors demonstrated high adaptive capacity, transforming practical training to meet emergency demands while preserving core pedagogical principles. The study contributes to understanding resilience, trauma-informed pedagogy, and professional identity development under crisis, with implications for integrated support systems and flexible, context-responsive teacher education models in conflict-affected settings. Future research should adopt longitudinal and multi-site designs to examine the long-term effects of crisis conditions on teacher development, retention, and pedagogical quality.
Source: Frontiers in Education
Authors: Sigal Ben Zaken, Mahmood Sindiani
Institutions: Wingate Institute, Levinsky-Wingate Academic College
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,353
OpenAlex ID: W7201880374