Can school placement foster professional identity formation? A multiple case study

The goal of this study was to perceive how professional socialisation fostered the professional identity formation of physical education preservice teachers. For that, we intended to study the preservice teachers' school placement and its influence on their professional identity formation. This investigation was designed using a qualitative research method, with data gathered through semi-structured interviews with six preservice teachers. Each participant was interviewed three times throughout the school year. Findings show that these individuals' beliefs or convictions about the teaching profession were rarely influenced by the school placement and initial teacher education programme, as participants were already acquainted with the profession. The participants recognised the value of the school placement, but they emphasised that throughout this period of professional socialisation, they only learned practical teaching skills. These preservice teachers' sense of self as professionals was based on their identification as teachers in the educational setting. We conclude that, whereas initial teacher education programme had a lasting impact on physical education preservice teachers' performance as teachers, it had a residual influence on their professional identity.