Becoming professional: examining how WIL students learn to construct and perform their professional identities

ABSTRACT Work-integrated learning programmes help students acquire professional acumen and provide opportunities for them to experiment with new aspects of self and identity. Twelve internship students were interviewed regarding their perspectives on how they think they learn about professionalism and the information sources they use. They describe how they renegotiate their identities in an effort to develop a professional image, yet try not to completely compromise their sense of self, a process that often creates a ‘divided self’. Dervin’s theory of sense-making provides a framework for examining the students’ struggle with professional identity development as they employ self-management and self-regulation to create and perform the role of the professional for others to see. The study findings highlight the importance of reflection for students struggling with constructing a professional self, and the role of professors and academic staff in creating spaces for students to experiment and try-on professional identities before they graduate.

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