Belonging and Becoming: Dutch Pre-service Teachers in Secondary Education Navigating Their Internships

Abstract

The study examined how Dutch pre-service teachers (PSTs) experience workplace belonging during internships, guided by Allen et al. (2021) integrative framework. Through a basic qualitative study in which eight fourth-year PSTs in secondary education at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences participated. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Findings reveal that workplace belonging can be explained by combining the integrative framework of Ellen et al. (2021) and situated learning theory by Lave & Wenger (1991). Indicating a two-phase development of belonging. First, the PSTs seek acceptance. During that phase, PSTs describe the feeling of being an intern at the internship. Followed by a transition to full participation, aligning with Lave and Wenger (1991) situated learning theory. During that phase, PSTs describe the feeling of being a colleague in the workplace. While all participants reported a sense of belonging, the depth and learning quality varied: supportive supervisors and workplace readiness facilitated rich learning (Billet, 2001), whereas limited interaction constrained opportunities and motivation. The study highlights the need for teacher education programs to actively educate about belonging. Future research should employ longitudinal and multi-stakeholder designs to capture real-time shifts in belonging.