Supporting a teacher identity in health professions education: AMEE Guide No. 132

Abstract

This guide provides an understanding of what teacher identity is and how it can be developed and supported. Developing a strong teacher identity in the context of health professions education is challenging, because teachers combine multiple roles and the environment usually is more supportive to the identity of health practitioner or researcher than to that of teacher. This causes tensions for those with a teaching role. However, a strong teacher identity is important because it enhances teachers' intention to stay in health professions education, their willingness to invest in faculty development, and their enjoyment of the teaching role. The guide offers recommendations on how to establish workplace environments that support teacher identity rather than marginalise it. Additionally, the guide offers recommendations for establishing faculty development approaches that are sensitive to teacher identity issues. Finally, the guide provides suggestions for individual teachers in relation to what they can do themselves to nurture it.

Discussion Paper: Conceptual thresholds in health professional education research and scholarship

“…Finally, identity is integral to the human condition and gives people a sense of purpose. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that supporting HCPs to cultivate a strong identity encompassing HPE research (Kumar et al, 2011;Steinert et al, 2019;van Lankveld et al, 2020) is critical for ensuring their continuing engagement, contribution and achievement. HCPs need to be supported to normalise the liminality associated with their transition into HPE research and scholarship.…”

‘It’s going to change the way we train’: Qualitative evaluation of a transformative faculty development workshop

“…1 ) suggests that two factors greatly influence whether HPs will adopt new education practices: the type of educator identity and the type of workplace CoP [ 26 ] to which they belong. Specifically, HPs who teach have variable conceptions of teacher identity ranging from ‘hierarchical’ (secondary to their clinical/researcher roles) to ‘compartmentalized’, ‘intersecting’ or ‘merged’ [ 31 ]—with the latter two groups more likely to value teaching and professional development as teachers [ 31 , 32 ]. Our study viewed teacher identify formation with an individualist orientation that highlighted the tensions faced by our participants in identity juggling [ 32 ].…”

“…Our study viewed teacher identify formation with an individualist orientation that highlighted the tensions faced by our participants in identity juggling [ 32 ]. We found that the participants that enacted change in teaching practice following the workshop were those with strong(er) educator identity, attuned to critically reflect on teaching practice [ 31 ]. They readily reflected about their limitations as educators and were open to questioning assumptions underlying their practices and trying new teaching methods [ 13 ].…”

“…TL has been shown to influence formation of professional identity in HP students [ 5 ] by making sense of experiences [ 35 ]. We suggest that transformative FD activities help HPs develop and reinforce their educator identity, negotiated through socialization [ 31 , 36 ]. In turn, HPs with a strong educator identity with attunement, when attending formal FD are “primed” for TL.…”

“…In turn, HPs with a strong educator identity with attunement, when attending formal FD are “primed” for TL. Together with workplace support, FD that is sensitive to teacher identity will encourage HP educators who enjoy teaching and seek improvement as teachers [ 31 ].…”