Out-of-field early childhood teachers’ perceived identity and capacity: a three-year long professional development experience
Professional Development in Education, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1080/19415257.2026.2665199
- Dergi Adı: Professional Development in Education
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, IBZ Online, Education Abstracts, Educational research abstracts (ERA), ERIC (Education Resources Information Center)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: early childhood teachers, Out-of-field teachers, perceived capacity, perceived identity, professional development
- Hacettepe Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Out-of-field teaching is considered a process that can challenge teachers’ professional identity and sense of competence. Given the limited number of studies on out-of-field early childhood teachers, this study aimed to examine self-reported changes in out-of-field early childhood teachers’ perceived identity and perceived capacity over a three-year implementation of a professional development process in a municipality-supported early childhood context. This study is grounded in an eclectic two-dimensional conceptual framework that brings together perspectives on teacher self-understanding, professional vulnerability, competence, and coping within a professional development lens. Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews with nineteen out-of-field early childhood teachers. Data analysis followed a process that began deductively and continued inductively and was framed within the conceptual framework. This study underscores the role of professional development in strengthening out-of-field early childhood teachers’ perceived identity and capacity. The findings provide valuable insights for informing policies on the employment and support mechanisms of out-of-field teachers, as well as for deepening our understanding of the context of out-of-field early childhood teachers.