Identity Formation of Pre-Service Teachers. Relations with Training and Attitudes toward Cultural Diversity

Abstract

The university years represents a pivotal period in the student's life, influencing decision-making and impacting their identity. The new experiences encountered during this phase may give rise to a certain identity crisis, allowing for a reconsideration of previously adopted commitments, and potentially influencing the development of future educators, with a special issue such as cultural diversity among others. This study aims to identify the identity status of prospective education teachers and analyse attitudes towards cultural diversity among students. The research design is quantitative, ex-post-facto, descriptive, and inferential. The incidental sample comprises a total of 378 students from the degrees in Early Childhood Education and Primary Education at the University of Córdoba (Spain). Of the total sample, being 74.03% female, with an average age of 20.64 (SD = 2.95). The results reflected that students in a mature status are those who exhibit higher scores in attitudes towards cultural diversity. In this context, the initial teacher training should consider identity as a factor to be taken into account for promoting positive attitudes towards cultural diversity, specifically emphasizing the development of responsible decision-making in the curriculum of Education degrees.