TEACHER IDENTITY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN DIGITAL-BASED ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING CLASSROOMS
Authors
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Evi Martiningsih
parabahari.research@gmail.comPoliteknik Angkatan Lau,
Indonesia
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Lucas Wong
Singapore Management University (SMU),
Singapore
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Sofia Lim
Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), Singapore
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Digital transformation has reshaped English Language Teaching (ELT), requiring teachers to reconstruct their professional identities while adapting to pedagogical technologies, learner expectations, and institutional demands. Teacher identity is shaped by digital competence, reflective practice, collaborative learning, and organizational support, making sustainable professional development essential for technology-enhanced language education. This study examined the relationship between teacher identity and professional development in digital-based ELT classrooms and identified factors that strengthen professional identity in digitally mediated environments. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design involved 420 English teachers from primary, secondary, vocational, and higher education institutions. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, structural equation modeling, mediation, and moderation analyses, while qualitative data were gathered through interviews, classroom observations, reflective journals, focus group discussions, and document analysis. Findings showed that digital pedagogical competence predicted teacher identity, while reflective practice partially mediated the relationship between professional development participation and professional identity. Collaborative professional learning and institutional support strengthened instructional innovation, technological self-efficacy, and professional confidence. Sustainable teacher identity therefore develops through interaction among digital competence, reflective inquiry, organizational learning, and collaborative professional development, enhancing teachers’ adaptability, instructional quality, and long-term professional resilience in technology-rich educational settings.
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