Constructing and Reconstructing Teachers’ Professional Identity in a Professional Community of Practice: The Role of Collaborative Reflective Practice
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Abstract
Teachers’ reflections and professional identity (PI) are vital constructs for their professional development. As teachers could reflect to formulate, shape, and reshape PI, collaborative reflective practice (CRP) can add more benefits to influence teachers’ PI. Therefore, this study explored how English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ involvement in CRP influenced their PI development in a community of practice (CoP). Hence, 17 Iranian EFL teachers were selected conveniently to be explored through a qualitative method. The findings illustrated that CRP enhanced EFL teachers’ confidence, motivation, and autonomy. Professionally, CRP enabled teachers to observe and reflect upon their practices, beliefs, and identities in a dynamic manner. Collaborative reflection within the CoP prompted novel changes and adaptations in teachers’ personal and professional stances, awareness, and identity. The teachers’ professional identities were gradually modified and adapted through CRP in the CoP. The result of this study can influence pre-service teacher education programs and teachers’ in-service workshops to train teachers with CRP to enhance their PIs.
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