Professional Identity of the Teacher in Higher Vocational Education Colleges in Fujian Province, China

Abstract

This study delved into the key factors influencing the Professional Identity of vocational college teachers in Fujian province, focusing on six dimensions: Self-Perception, Teacher Roles, Teaching Performance, Teaching Competence, Teacher Self-Efficacy, and Job Satisfaction. Survey research design was used with a distribution of questionnaires to a sample of 500 respondents. Descriptive Statistics with Mean, Standard deviation, Frequency, Percentage and CFA were employed to examine the six-factors model of measurement scales to accurately assess the Professional Identity of vocational college teachers in Fujian province. The findings confirmed that Self-Perception and Teaching Competence were the primary drivers of Professional Identity, while Job Satisfaction—especially in terms of salary, promotion opportunities, and relationships—strongly influenced Teachers’ Sense of Identity. These findings, thus, provided theoretical insights that helped promote practical measures for policymakers and educators to enhance Professional Identity for teachers. The future research could be furthered by exploring the six-factors of Professional Identity developed by this study in different contexts and regions with longitudinal analyses to understand how Professional Identity evolves over time in vocational education in China.