Language teacher educators’ identity construction through teaching and supporting action research: A trioethnographic study

Dario Luis Banegas, Vicent Beltran-Palanques, Araceli Salas

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract / Description of output

Action research is a form of inquiry that allows language educators to understand and improve their own practice. The literature suggests that language teachers can employ it as a self-led and self-directed source of professional development and enhancement of their professional identity and agency. However, little is known about its impact on the development of identity of language teacher educators who teach and support action research. Against this backdrop, this article aims to explore the experience of three language teacher educators regarding the influence of action research on the construction of their professional identity. Drawing on verbal and visual data sets, findings show that when teacher educators teach and mentor action research in language teacher education programmes, they can become guiding knowers, reflective practitioners and agents of change. The roles that teacher educators enact may lead to a reflective process that enhances their professional development. These identities connected to agentic growth demonstrate the relevance of including action research in language teacher education programmes as it can help teacher educators nurture their professional identity, particularly concerning their professional knowledge. This study suggests that teaching and supporting action research can become a meaningful entry point for language teacher educators to reflect on their own practice and to carry out action research themselves in language teacher education programmes.
Original languageEnglish
JournalRELC Journal
Early online date9 Nov 2023
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 9 Nov 2023

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • action research
  • growth
  • identity
  • language teacher educator
  • trioethnography

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