EFL Teachers’ Professional Identity in Technological Universities of China: A Mixed Methods Study

Ying Hua

Abstract


English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in technological universities of China shoulder more formidable challenges as the EFL proficiency of young learners in primary and secondary education gets better, EFL online learning catches on and the position of EFL education becomes more marginalized in technological universities. Nonetheless, the empirical research on professional identity of EFL teachers in tertiary institutions of China that conceptualizes the construct of professional identity, highlights professionalism and hybridizes quantitative and qualitative approaches is very limited. This paper reports a mixed methods investigation into the status quo of EFL teachers’ professional identity in technological universities of China and its underlying rationales by focusing on the connected dimensions of personal sense and professional recognition that create professional identity. Results show that the status quo of EFL teachers’ professional identity in technological universities of China is undesirable in that EFL teachers’ personal sense measured by the sub-constructs of self-efficacy and real value falls far behind their professional recognition gauged by the sub-constructs of duty perception and expected value. The internal problematic research awareness and capacity and the external short-sighted utilitarian milieu ignorant of humanity are the major underlying constraints. This study also sheds light on internal and external pivotal measures taken to improve EFL teachers’ professional identity in technological universities of China.


Keywords


EFL teachers, technological universities of China, professional identity, mixed methods approach

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References


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