Emerging professional identities: motivations for choosing early education as a minor subject in Finland

ABSTRACT This qualitative study examines the professional development of early education preservice teachers and the initiatives behind the formation of a professional identity in the early stages of their studies. Professional identity is examined through the motivational factors that guide students to a minor in early education. The theoretical framework draws on educational science and sociology and defines the context of professional development, professional identity, and motivation in the social environment. Narrative data have been analyzed using the FIT-Choice Scale, and the analysis has been further elaborated by classifying narratives into the three identity types of confident, strengthened, and cautious. The research mainly confirms international results on motivational factors influencing career choices in teaching. The results also provide a broader perspective on the impact of the local education system and the labor market on professional development and the formation of professional identity. Additionally, the results challenge the ideal of the preservice teacher. The research benefits not only teacher educators but also policy makers as well as preservice teachers who form their professional identity in the midst of various uncertainties and requirements.