Self-Development and Identity of Language Teachers through Online Professional Development

Abstract

This paper reports on a narrative case study that explores the experiences of three languages teachers’ self-development and identity construction through online professional development (OPD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a qualitative case study, participants were recruited and interviewed about their self-developments and identity after participating in OPD. The data collected from online interviewing were transcribed, classified, analysed, and interpreted using thematic content analysis. Findings indicated that OPD facilitates language teacher self-development and pedagogical identity enrichment. Through it, language teachers gain new knowledge, skills, attitudes, experiences and practices, and information technology literacy. Their new knowledge and growing self-confidence lead to self-efficacy, generating values that causes them become the agents of change. The implication of this study contribute to our understanding the benefits of OPD to support continuity of self-development, suggesting, more broadly, critical development paths for all teachers.