Professional Identity of Physical Education and Sport Teachers: A Comparative Study among Pre-Service and In-Service Teachers

Abstract

Professional identity (PI) is an important component of teacher development and may evolve during the transition from initial teacher education to professional practice. In Morocco, limited evidence is available on how the PI of physical education (PE) teachers differs between the end of pre-service training and the early stage of professional employment. This study investigated differences in PI between pre-service physical education teacher-trainees enrolled in initial teacher education at Morocco’s Regional Centres for Education and Training Professions and novice in-service PE teachers with one year of professional experience. Adopting a quantitative research design, the study employed a Likert-type professional identity scale to collect data from 128 teacher-trainees completing their initial training and 107 novice teachers. Factor analysis supported the three-dimensional structure of the scale—self-image, perceived self-efficacy, and commitment to teaching physical education—and the 18-item scale demonstrated good overall internal consistency. Comparative analyses revealed a statistically significant difference in the overall PE PI Index between the two groups (ΔM = 0.09, p = 0.038, η² = 0.019), with higher scores among teacher-trainees, although the effect size was small. A statistically significant difference was also observed for the self-efficacy dimension (ΔM = 0.12, p = 0.042, η² = 0.018). By contrast, analyses examining gender and the type of bachelor’s degree held by participants revealed no statistically significant effects on PI across the transition from initial teacher education to professional practice. These findings underscore the dynamic and evolving nature of PI during the transition into the teaching profession. In particular, they suggest that the idealised professional self-conceptions developed during initial teacher education may be challenged by the personal, professional, relational, and contextual constraints encountered by novice teachers upon entering the profession. The findings therefore highlight the need for more practice-oriented and contextually responsive teacher education programmes, as well as sustained support for educational stakeholders involved in fostering the PI development of PE teachers.