Teacher Professional Identity Development and Instructional Commitment Among Graduates of College of Education in Delta State

This study investigates the development of professional identity and its relationship to instructional commitment among graduates of Colleges of Education teaching in primary and secondary schools in Delta State, South South Nigeria. Professional identity, defined as a teacher's sense of purpose, competence, and belonging within the teaching profession, is increasingly recognised as a predictor of long-term commitment and classroom effectiveness. The study employs a cross-sectional survey design, engaging 340 college-trained teachers from schools in Asaba, Sapele, and Ughelli local government areas. Data were collected using the Teacher Professional Identity Scale and the Instructional Commitment Inventory, both validated through confirmatory factor analysis. Structural equation modelling examined the hypothesised relationships. The study draws on Sfard and Prusak's Identity Theory, Wenger's Communities of Practice, and Day's model of professional identity. It examines identity dimensions including teaching vocation, professional competence confidence, subject matter passion, and role clarity as predictors of affective and behavioural commitment to instruction. Findings are expected to reveal that vocation and subject matter passion are the strongest identity-based predictors of instructional commitment. The moderating role of school type and years of experience is examined. Recommendations target Delta State teacher education institutions and the Teachers Registration Council on redesigning induction programmes and mentoring systems to actively support graduate identity development. Keywords: professional identity, instructional commitment, College of Education graduates, Delta State, teacher development