Domestic Research Trends on the Teacher Identity of Elementary School Teachers: A Focus on Studies from 2005 to 2024

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to comprehensively analyze 54 domestic research studies on the teacher identity of elementary school teacher published from 2005 to 2024 and examine research trends, and suggest future research directions. Methods: A total of 54 studies, including 35 journal articles and 19 theses, were reviewed. The analysis considered publication period and type, research topics, methods, participant characteristics, and the psychological-emotional dimension of teacher identity. Results: Research on the teacher identity of elementary school teachers has increased rapidly since 2020, with journal articles published more frequently than theses. The dominant topics concerned factors influencing identity and identity formation processes, followed by aspects and characteristics of identity. Qualitative research methods accounted for the majority of studies, while research on teachers in the growth stage and male teachers remained scarce. A substantial body of research has examined teacher identity from psychological and emotional experiences, highlighting identity crises and conflicts, reflection and reconstruction, and recovery experiences as key processes. Conclusion: This study showed that recent research studies on the teacher identity of elementary school teachers are expanding to encompass emotional, social, and institutional factors in response to changing educational contexts. Future research studies need to focus more intensively on teachers in the growth stage, adopt holistic approaches linking gender, emotional labor, and policies such as the extended care program, and emphasize practice-oriented studies with policy implications.