During their studies teachers all over the world have to complete several internships, additionally to their subject-specific training programs and their curriculum for general basics in education (Harris & Sass, 2009). Beside the first orientation-internships and the subject-related school internships at bachelor level, especially the pedagogical-practical studies in the master program should help to develop specific competences and a professional identity as a teacher. The aim of these pedagogical-practical studies – which are also a key component of the 2019 new developed secondary teacher education program in Austria – is the integration and combination of educational and didactical theories and concepts with practical experiences and competences. In this context, the students as future teachers should develop a professional self-conception, supported by subject-related supervision and psycho-social guidance and counselling in teacher education master program courses (Darling-Hammond et al., 2017).  

The present multi-method study examines the subjective self-perception and the professional self-conception of master students in teacher education, particularly focusing on their practical experiences in schools during their pedagogical-practical studies. To fulfill the main research interest, the study focuses on the following, slightly broader research questions: How does the conception of the professional-self occur in the process of becoming a teacher, focusing on the development of the professional identity during teaching practice at the end of teacher training programs? Therefore, the aim of the study is to draw a clear picture of the representations and mental images of students in their process of professionalization that constitute their professional identity and self-conception as teachers.

In order to answer the research questions, a participatory and multi-method research project was conducted together with three different Austrian universities. The subjective teaching experiences of future teachers at master level, which were video-recorded in different schools and different school levels (n= 88 pre-service teachers), are at the center of the study. The corpus of data includes the video material from the pedagogical-practical studies, a pre-post-teaching-experience questionnaire, the students’ research journals and a comprehensive collection of memos from the participatory research process. The central methods of analysis within the sequential multi-method research design (Teddlie & Taschakkori, 2009) comprise qualitative video analysis (using the video-based content structuring qualitative analysis - ISQIA, see Kuckartz ,2014) and qualitative emotion-based teaching analysis in (semi-structured) focus groups, using an analyzing matrix for teacher-student-interaction (ETUA). Beside these qualitative methods the questionnaires and the student research journals where analyzed within a combined regression analysis. Participants of the study were master students in teacher education during their pedagogical-practical studies (in the years of 2018-2020). In the selection of participants and schools, anonymity, transparency und voluntariness were provided.

On the one hand the study outlines where students identify their strengths and weaknesses, analyzing oneself and others’ teaching practice, and therefore enables the improvement of the future support in teacher education programs. In this context, first results show, that especially the following predictors where experienced as restrictive and intimidating in the process of becoming a teacher, considering the pedagogical-practical studies: (1) the idiosyncratic authenticity, (2) the consideration of multidimensional learning spaces (=strategies of individualization), and (3) negative emotions (anger/rage) in the relationship to their students. On the other hand, the study also identifies substantial influencing factors, that constitute the professional self-conception in pre-service teacher education, considering the analysis of teaching experience. First results suggest that especially (1) the negative feedback of colleges and peers, (2) the subjective experience of competence and self-efficacy, (3) (surprisingly) the use and handling of language (and dialect), and (4) experiencing a sense of security and comfort in the classroom. These findings go hand in hand with some pivotal theoretical and practical implications and open up new perspectives in the context of educational policies.

Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., & Gardner, M. (2017). Effective Teacher Professional Development. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute. Harris, D. N. & Sass, T. R. (2011). Teacher training, teacher quality and student achievement. Journal of Public Economics. 95(7), 798-812. Kuckartz, U. (2014). Qualitative content analysis: A guide to methods, practice & using software. London: SAGE. Teddlie, Ch. & Taschakkori, A. (2009). Foundations of mixed methods research. Thousand Oaks: Sage.