Shaping teacher education through professional identities: enhancing autism awareness

Abstract

PurposeThe main aim of this study is to examine autism awareness in relation to different professional identities and to explore its implications for teacher education. Furthermore, the study aims to explore how teacher education can be improved by considering differences in individuals' professional identities, especially regarding autism awareness.MethodsA quantitative approach was used with a sample consisting of 745 participants who completed a data collection form that included the Autism Awareness Scale to primarily examine levels of autism awareness, their sources of information about autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and their perceived competence in educating students with ASD. The analysis included group comparisons, structural equation modeling, response surface analysis, and machine learning-based prediction.ResultsThe findings revealed that different professional identities significantly impact the participants' results. Also, this study found that autism awareness was higher when university education was supported by social media and websites (or non-governmental organizations). For in-service teachers, the most effective method was in-service training delivered in partnership with a non-governmental organization.ConclusionIn line with the results, the study suggests a framework for designing teacher education programs with a focus on teachers' professional identities to effectively foster autism awareness. Furthermore, the study suggests that focusing on key professional factors such as professional pressure, professional belonging, professional awareness, and cultural pressure could make teacher education more effective, especially when tailored to different professional identities within the framework.