Identity Development of Career-Change Secondary Teachers: A Systematic Review of Theoretical Lenses, Emerging Identities, and Implications for Supporting Transition into Teaching

Career-change teachers (CCTs) are a growing group within the international secondary teacher workforce. In the context of a global teacher shortage, it is important to interrogate career-change student teachers’ (CCSTs’) experiences, so they can be effectively supported to have successful and sustainable teaching careers. This systematic literature review presents and analyzes scholarship, which focuses on the development of secondary sector CCTs’ teacher identity, with a focus on learning from CCSTs and CCTs who are recent ITE graduates. The two research questions were as follows: What theoretical frameworks are used in the literature to explore CCTs’ teacher identity development? What emerging teacher identities do CCTs take on, and what do they need to experience successful teacher identity development? Analysis of theoretical frameworks reveals different perspectives on the nature of teacher identity and identity development processes. The valuable contribution of multiple theoretical frameworks, including career engagement and development theoretical frameworks, from beyond education is highlighted. Four themes illuminate key influences on CCSTs’ teacher identity development: continuity from prior careers, self-efficacy and need for validation, CCTs’ desire for out-of-the-box teacher identities, and CCTs’ views on ITE. Because CCSTs are a distinct group, with different identities and needs, we call for further research, and we call on ITE providers and schools to use insights from research on CCTs to support CCSTs’ distinctive needs, career transition, and emerging teacher identities.