Language teachers’ professional role identities and classroom technology integration

Teachers’ role identities shape their teaching practices. However, research on the interplay between language teachers’ role identities and classroom technology integration is rather limited. Based on interview responses and classroom observations of eight K-12 language teachers, this study revealed two contrastive forms of role identities that were influential in technology use, namely the broader educator roles and the narrow subject teacher roles. Teachers with the two forms of role identities diverged in their technology use approaches, purposes, and resilience. The findings further revealed that teacher role identities interplayed with technology use in a mutually shaping and constantly evolving manner. The findings advocate greater attention to teacher role identities when examining and supporting classroom technology integration.