1- Assistant Professor, Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran , dr.hosseiny@cfu.ac.ir
2- Associate Professor, Hormoz Study and Research Center, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran
2- Associate Professor, Hormoz Study and Research Center, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran
Abstract: (7 Views)
Objective: This study aimed to examine the role of internship as a process of professional socialization in shaping and strengthening the professional identity of pre-service Arabic language teachers at Shahid Beheshti Campus, Bandar Abbas, for the cohorts admitted in 2022.
Methods: In this study, professional identity was conceptualized as a socio-cultural construct and examined through four components — self-efficacy, professional commitment, organizational belonging, and occupational self-awareness — to clarify how practical experiences strengthen the development of these dimensions through symbolic interaction and the internalization of institutional roles. The present study was qualitative and employed a phenomenological approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using a three-stage coding process (open, axial, and selective). Member checking and data triangulation were used to enhance validity and trustworthiness.
Results: The results showed that internship experiences, as a social field, strengthen pre-service teachers' professional identity. Reflection on performance and interaction with students enhanced occupational self-awareness and revealed their strengths and weaknesses. Practical experiences increased self-confidence and self-efficacy and improved classroom-management ability and the implementation of instructional plans. Participation in school activities also strengthened professional commitment and organizational belonging, enhancing a sense of responsibility toward students and the school institution. In their mutual interaction, these components created a supportive cycle that ensures the sustainable development of professional identity.
Conclusions: The study's final conclusion is that internship goes beyond practical experience: it is a transformative, sociological process that, by strengthening the components of professional identity, can meaningfully improve the quality of teacher education.
Methods: In this study, professional identity was conceptualized as a socio-cultural construct and examined through four components — self-efficacy, professional commitment, organizational belonging, and occupational self-awareness — to clarify how practical experiences strengthen the development of these dimensions through symbolic interaction and the internalization of institutional roles. The present study was qualitative and employed a phenomenological approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using a three-stage coding process (open, axial, and selective). Member checking and data triangulation were used to enhance validity and trustworthiness.
Results: The results showed that internship experiences, as a social field, strengthen pre-service teachers' professional identity. Reflection on performance and interaction with students enhanced occupational self-awareness and revealed their strengths and weaknesses. Practical experiences increased self-confidence and self-efficacy and improved classroom-management ability and the implementation of instructional plans. Participation in school activities also strengthened professional commitment and organizational belonging, enhancing a sense of responsibility toward students and the school institution. In their mutual interaction, these components created a supportive cycle that ensures the sustainable development of professional identity.
Conclusions: The study's final conclusion is that internship goes beyond practical experience: it is a transformative, sociological process that, by strengthening the components of professional identity, can meaningfully improve the quality of teacher education.
Keywords: Internship, Professional Identity, Self-Efficacy, Professional Commitment, Organizational Belonging, Occupational Self-Awareness, Arabic Language Education
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