Analysis of the development of teacher identity in the Practicum of the Basic Education Pedagogy degree at the University of Tarapacá

ANALYSIS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF IDENTITY IN TEACHING PRACTICUM RACE IN BASIC EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF TARAPACA Author: Inelia Caterina Villalobos Iturriaga Date: March 2024 ABSTRACT The present research, of a hermeneutic-interpretive nature, aimed to analyze the development of Teacher Professional Identity (TPI) in the practicum of students enrolled in the Basic Education Pedagogy program at the University of Tarapacá (UTA), Chile, in a multicultural and border context. The study aimed to describe the characteristics of the teaching role, identify its transformation throughout the different stages of the practicum, and define the factors that facilitate or hinder this process. The study was based on UTA’s pedagogical model (2021), the teaching profession standards (2021), and theoretical contributions from Imbernón (2017), Vaillant (2017), Orozco-Gómez (2023), Cantón and Tardif (2018), Kortaghen (2017), and Valdenegro et al. (2024). The methodology included in-depth interviews, focus groups, and document analysis of practicum reports, with data processed using qualitative software. This allowed for the identification of intrinsic dimensions (beliefs, motivation, self-perception, and professional development) and extrinsic dimensions (interaction with the environment, professional relationships, influence of educational policies, and stress management). The findings show that students, initially holding an idealized conception of the teaching role, evolve towards the consolidation of their professional identity, integrating theoretical and practical knowledge, strengthening their self-efficacy, and establishing meaningful bonds in the classroom. Reflective practice and pedagogical support are highlighted as fundamental pillars in the training of resilient and adaptive teachers, prepared to face the challenges of the constantly changing educational system.