A Reflection on the Process of Professional Identity Formation of Student Teachers in Farhangian University Environment

Background and Objectives: Professional identity is an important dimension of teacher education and plays a significant role in how student teachers understand themselves, their professional responsibilities, and their future roles as teachers. Identity is not a fixed or predetermined characteristic; rather, it is continuously constructed and reconstructed through interaction with social, cultural, educational, and professional contexts. Professional identity, as a more specific dimension of identity, develops through the interaction between individuals’ personal characteristics, professional experiences, values, beliefs, and perceptions of their professional roles. In teacher education, the process of professional identity formation begins before entering the teaching profession and continues throughout academic education and professional practice. Therefore, understanding the experiences through which student teachers construct their professional identities is particularly important for institutions responsible for initial teacher education. Farhangian University, as the main institution for preparing teachers in Iran, provides student teachers with academic education, professional training, teaching practicum, cultural activities, and various forms of social interaction. These experiences can provide important opportunities for professional identity development; however, they may also create tensions when students’ initial expectations differ from their actual university experiences. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore the process of professional identity formation among student teachers in the context of Farhangian University and to identify the experiences, interactions, and contextual conditions that contribute to or hinder this process.
Methodology: This study was conducted using a qualitative approach within an interpretive paradigm and employed narrative inquiry with a biographical orientation. The participants were 21 student teachers who described their experiences of university life, professional development, relationships with professors and peers, teaching practicum, academic and cultural activities, and their perceptions of the teaching profession. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, each lasting approximately 30 minutes, and data collection continued until theoretical saturation was reached. The collected narratives were analyzed using thematic analysis based on the six-phase framework proposed by Braun and Clarke (2006). MAXQDA 2024 was used to facilitate the organization, coding, comparison, and development of themes. During the analytical process, 165 initial codes were identified. Through repeated review, comparison, refinement, and consolidation of the data, 118 final codes were retained. These codes were subsequently organized into 21 organizing themes and five main themes. The credibility of the analysis was supported through systematic examination of the relationship between participants’ narratives, codes, and emerging themes. Ethical principles, including voluntary participation, informed consent, confidentiality, and protection of participants’ identities, were also observed throughout the research process.
Findings: The findings indicated that professional identity formation among student teachers is a dynamic, contextual, multidimensional, and vulnerable process. Five main themes emerged from the analysis. The first theme, “The Teacher as a Role Model,” demonstrated the importance of influential professors and teachers in shaping student teachers’ understanding of the ideal teacher. Ethical and personality characteristics, professional and educational competence, continuous learning, and social responsibility were among the characteristics emphasized by participants. The second theme, “The Gap between Professional Expectations and University Reality,” reflected the discrepancy between student teachers’ expectations of teacher education and their actual experiences. Weak connections between theoretical education and professional practice, excessive emphasis on theoretical content, organizational and managerial problems, declining motivation, and insufficient attention to students’ capacities were identified as important challenges. The third theme, “The Learning Lifeworld of the Teacher,” showed that professional identity is shaped through a broad range of learning experiences. The role of professors, scientific and research activities, professional and practical experiences, teaching practicum, cultural and social participation, peer relationships, and the intellectual and interactive climate of the university all contributed to the participants’ understanding of becoming a teacher. The fourth theme, “Professional and Social Growth as the Foundation of Teacher Identity,” emphasized the importance of communication and social skills, professional and ethical commitment, personal and intellectual development, and participation in cultural and social activities. These findings indicate that professional identity extends beyond occupational knowledge and skills and involves broader processes of personal and social development. The fifth theme, “From Ideal to Reality: Lived Challenges in the Development of Professional Identity,” concerned the difficulties experienced by student teachers in reconciling their expectations with the realities of university life. Participants referred to weaknesses in educational content, management and planning problems, limitations related to specialized faculty, physical and welfare constraints, and the gap between their initial mental image of teacher education and their actual experiences. Overall, the five themes demonstrate that professional identity develops through the continuous interaction of individual experiences, professional models, learning opportunities, social relationships, and institutional conditions.
Discussion and Conclusion: The findings confirm that professional identity formation should be understood as a process rather than a fixed outcome of teacher education. The results are consistent with previous research emphasizing the dynamic, social, and contextual nature of teacher professional identity, particularly the role of professional experiences, relationships, and educational environments. At the same time, this study highlights how these processes are experienced by student teachers within the specific context of Farhangian University. The findings suggest that the university is not only a place for transferring theoretical knowledge and teaching skills but also an important social and professional environment in which student teachers develop their professional self-understanding. Professional models, especially influential professors and teachers, play an important role because students learn professional values and behaviors through both formal instruction and interaction. Furthermore, the gap between professional expectations and university reality can affect motivation, professional belonging, and perceptions of the future teaching role. Meaningful learning experiences, authentic teaching practicum, scientific and cultural activities, and opportunities for dialogue and reflection can strengthen professional identity, whereas organizational weaknesses and insufficient connections between theory and practice may make this process more vulnerable. Accordingly, strengthening university–school connections, expanding opportunities for reflection and professional dialogue, supporting professors as professional role models, and providing meaningful scientific, cultural, and social experiences can contribute to a more coherent, responsible, and ethical professional identity. Ultimately, professional identity formation should be regarded as a central component of Farhangian University’s educational mission, as it may influence how future teachers understand and fulfill their professional responsibilities.