Identity is the combination of physical, cultural, social, and psychological characteristics that define an individual or group and distinguish them from others. It is shaped by a person’s values, beliefs, roles, past experiences, and environment while remaining subject to change and development over time. In certain social and professional communities, specific identity traits are expected. As a result, individuals may adopt different identities depending on the social or professional context. This phenomenon is commonly observed in occupational groups.

The formation of teacher identity, particularly in a profession such as teaching, which directly or indirectly influences a large segment of society and aims to shape individuals and serve as a role model, holds critical importance. Teacher identity is a dynamic process that shapes how individuals perceive their professional roles and responsibilities, guiding their values, beliefs, and behaviors in the profession. This process is influenced by both personal and environmental factors, continuously evolving over time. Factors such as personal background, social interactions, and psychological and cultural attributes (Cooper & Olson, 1996), along with interactions with colleagues and the broader educational landscape (Beijaard et al., 2004), are key components affecting teacher identity.

Similarly, Teng (2017) emphasizes that educators’ views, attitudes, and perceptions regarding their profession, along with their role in students’ learning and development, are integral to teacher identity and are influenced by both internal and external variables.

Among personal factors, attitudes toward the teaching profession play a crucial role in shaping this identity. Attitudes are positive or negative evaluations of people or events, reflecting our feelings toward a particular subject (Robbins & Judge, 2012). Therefore, pre-service teachers’ interest in, commitment to, and value for the teaching profession directly impact their identity formation.

Moreover, motivation, an affective factor, is another determinant in the formation of teacher identity. Motivation is an internal state that drives an individual’s decisions, actions, and persistence (Dörnyei & Ushioda, 2021). In the context of teaching, motivation can mediate the relationship between attitudes and identity development, enhancing the process. Positive attitudes and strong motivation toward the profession can foster a more robust and coherent identity formation.

Teacher identity is a dynamic and evolving construct influenced by various factors. Research shows that undergraduate education plays a vital role in shaping pre-service teachers’ professional identities, with the practicum course in the final year being particularly impactful. This experience allows candidates to engage with mentor teachers, interact with students, and navigate real classroom settings (Prabjandee, 2019).

Motivation is equally significant as it drives both the decision to pursue teaching and the commitment to continue in the profession. Research highlights motivation as a key determinant, fostering strong professional engagement and career dedication (Matteucci et al., 2017; Qin & Tao, 2021).

This study aims to examine the formation of teacher identity, a construct influenced by numerous internal and external factors. Specifically, it investigates the impact of attitude as a personal factor on identity formation and explores the mediating role of motivation in this relationship. The research seeks to answer the following questions:

1. Do pre-service teachers’ professional identities differ according to variables such as gender, grade level, teacher education program, willingness to choose the teaching profession, having teachers in the family, and the influence of role models on career choice?

2. Does motivation mediate the relationship between pre-service teachers’ teacher identity and attitudes toward the teaching profession?

This study contributes to the European and international context by offering insights into pre-service teacher identity development, a key factor in fostering a globally competent and motivated teaching workforce. The findings can inform teacher education programs to foster effective teacher preparation in diverse educational settings.

Research Design: This study employs a correlational research design, one of the quantitative research methods. According to Creswell (2014), correlational designs establish relationships between two or more factors without attempting to manipulate variables, allowing researchers to predict scores and explain relationships (p. 338). In this study, career motivation serves as the mediating variable, while personality traits and teacher identity act as the independent and dependent variables, respectively. As Creswell (2014) states, an independent variable may cause a mediator, which in turn affects the dependent variable (p. 244). Participants: The research population comprises pre-service teachers studying at the Faculty of Education at a public university. This faculty hosts nine active departments: Psychological Counseling and Guidance, Fine Arts Education, Science Education, Elementary Mathematics Teaching, Classroom Education, Pre-School Education, Turkish Education, Social Studies Education, and English Language Teaching. To observe how teacher identity is influenced by teacher education, pre-service teachers from all grade levels are included in the study. Data Collection Tools: The study utilizes three scales and a personal information form as data collection tools: Pre-Service Teacher Identity Scale: Developed by Friesen and Besley (2013) and adapted into Turkish by Arpacı and Bardakçı (2015). This single-factor scale consists of 17 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale, with a reliability coefficient of 0.87. Attitude Toward Teaching Profession Scale: Developed by Kahramanoğlu et al. (2018), this single-factor scale contains 12 items with a Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient of 0.85. Motivation for Occupational and Field Selection Scale: Developed by Mayr (1998) and adapted into Turkish by Atav and Altunoğlu (2013). This scale comprises four dimensions: Intrinsic Field Selection, Extrinsic Field Selection, Intrinsic Occupational Selection, and Extrinsic Occupational Selection. For this study, only the Intrinsic and Extrinsic Occupational Selection dimensions, consisting of 12 items in total, will be used. The Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficients for the dimensions range between 0.85 and 0.73. Data Analysis: To address the research objectives, parametric and non-parametric tests, as well as path analysis, will be conducted. Path analysis is used when the direct relationship between two variables may have an indirect effect through another variable, known as a mediator effect. In mediation models, a third intervening or mediating variable (M) transmits the effect of the independent variable (X) on the dependent variable (Y). In other words, X causes M, which in turn causes Y (Şen, 2023).

This study is expected to provide valuable insights into the formation of teacher identity among pre-service teachers by examining the roles of attitude and motivation. It is anticipated that teacher identity levels will vary based on demographic and contextual factors such as gender (Aydın et al., 2013), grade level (Prabjandee, 2019), willingness to pursue teaching as a profession (Matteucci et al., 2017; Qin & Tao, 2021). The findings are likely to show that pre-service teachers with more positive attitudes toward the teaching profession develop stronger and more coherent teacher identities. This outcome would highlight the importance of fostering favorable perceptions of teaching during undergraduate education. Furthermore, the study is expected to reveal that motivation serves as a mediating factor between attitudes toward teaching and teacher identity development. Both intrinsic and extrinsic occupational motivation are predicted to strengthen this relationship, illustrating the complex interplay between affective factors and professional identity formation. These findings could offer practical implications for teacher education programs by emphasizing the need to foster positive attitudes and enhance motivation through targeted strategies. By doing so, teacher preparation programs may better support the professional development of pre-service teachers and contribute to the formation of strong, stable teacher identities. The study’s results may also inspire future research on additional internal and external factors influencing teacher identity development, offering a deeper understanding of how to better prepare future educators for their roles.

Arpacı, D., & Bardakçı, M. (2015). Adaptation of early teacher identity measure into Turkish. Gaziantep University Journal of Social Sciences, 14(3), 687-719. Atav, E., & Altunoğlu, B. D. (2013). Validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the motivation scale on teaching profession and field choice. Hacettepe University Journal of Education, 28(2), 58-70. Aydın, M. K., Bavlı, B., & Alcı, B. (2013). Examining the effects of pre-service teachers’ personality traits on their teaching competencies. International Online Journal of Educational Sciences, 5(3), 575-586. Beijaard, D., Meijer, P., & Verloop, N. (2004). Reconsidering research on teachers’ professional identity. Teaching and Teacher Education, 20(2), 107-128. Cooper, K., & Olson, M. R. (1996). The multiple ‘I’s’ of teacher identity. In M. Kompf, W. R. Bond, D. Dworet, & R. T. Boak (Eds.), Changing Research And Practice: Teachers’ Professionalism, Identities And Knowledge (pp. 78–89). London/Washington, DC: The Falmer Press. Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications. Dörnyei, Z., & Ushioda, E. (2021). Teaching and researching motivation. Routledge. Friesen, M. D., & Besley, S. C. (2013). Teacher identity development in the first year of teacher education: A developmental and social psychological perspective. Teaching and Teacher education, 36, 23-32. Kahramanoğlu, R., Yokuş, E., Cücük, E., Vural, S., & Şiraz, F. (2018). The Validity and Reliability Study of Attitudes Towards Teaching Profession Scale. Journal of Turkish Studies, 13(11). Matteucci, M. C., Guglielmi, D., & Lauermann, F. (2017). Teachers’ sense of responsibility for educational outcomes and its associations with teachers’ instructional approaches and professional wellbeing. Social Psychology of Education, 20(2), 275–298. Mayr, J. (1998). Motive für die Studien- und Berufswahl. Fragebögen zur Erkundung des Lehrens und Lernens an der Pädagogischen Akademie. Eine Materialsammlung. Pädagogische Akademie der Diözese Linz. Prabjandee, D. (2019). Becoming English Teachers in Thailand: Student Teacher Identity Development during Teaching Practicum. Issues in Educational Research, 29, 1277-1294. Qin, M., & Tao, D. (2021). Understanding preservice music teachers’ intention to remain in the profession: An integrated model of the theory of planned behaviour and motivation theory. International Journal of Music Education, 39(4), 355-370. Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2012). Örgütsel Davranış.(Çeviri Ed: İ. Erdem). İstanbul: Nobel Yayıncılık. Şen, S. (2023). Mplus ile Yapısal Eşitlik Modellemesi Uygulamaları (2nd ed.). Nobel. Teng, M. F. (2017). Emotional development and construction of teacher identity: Narrative interactions about the pre-service teachers’ practicum experiences. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 42(11), 117-134.