Development of student teacher’s professional identity through constructivist approaches and self-reflective techniques

The study presents partial results of “Teaching profession in the context of changing demands on education”, a large-scale research project. What is reflected on are key theoretical starting points of a new model of professional teacher education – a socio-constructivist conception and reflective model. The question of a teacher´s professional identity and its components as well as the conception of teaching as part of professional identity including its developmental stages are placed at the centre of attention. There is a presentation of the aims, methods and results of research into the efficacy of constructivist approaches and reflective techniques for supporting student teachers´ professional development. Possibilities offered by and limitations of systematic usage of these innovative approaches are discussed.