Shaping Teacher Education Through Professional Identities: Enhancing Autism Awareness.
Blend college basics, NGO updates, and social media snippets to keep teachers sharp on autism.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Serkan et al. (2026) asked teachers how they learned about autism. They used an online survey.
The team wanted to know which mix of training gave the sharpest autism awareness.
What they found
Teachers with university coursework plus tips from NGOs and social media scored highest.
For staff already in the classroom, short NGO-led in-service trainings worked best.
How this fits with other research
Austin et al. (2024) urge ABA clinicians to add trauma-informed care to stay ethical. Both papers push the same lever: keep learning after your first degree.
Schertz et al. (2016) show parent stress rises when stigma spreads. Serkan’s plan to raise teacher awareness could lower that stigma at school.
Tomeny (2017) links child symptoms to mom’s mental health through stress. Better teacher insight may ease that pathway by cutting classroom friction.
Why it matters
You can copy the winning mix: pair any college lecture you give with a live NGO mini-workshop and a vetted TikTok or YouTube clip. Share the same bundle with teachers you coach. One lunch-and-learn with an autism nonprofit can refresh a whole staff without pricey graduate credits.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
PURPOSE: The main aim of this study is to examine autism awareness in relation to different professional identities and to explore its implications for teacher education. Furthermore, the study aims to explore how teacher education can be improved by considering differences in individuals' professional identities, especially regarding autism awareness. METHODS: A quantitative approach was used with a sample consisting of 745 participants who completed a data collection form that included the Autism Awareness Scale to primarily examine levels of autism awareness, their sources of information about autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and their perceived competence in educating students with ASD. The analysis included group comparisons, structural equation modeling, response surface analysis, and machine learning-based prediction. RESULTS: The findings revealed that different professional identities significantly impact the participants' results. Also, this study found that autism awareness was higher when university education was supported by social media and websites (or non-governmental organizations). For in-service teachers, the most effective method was in-service training delivered in partnership with a non-governmental organization. CONCLUSION: In line with the results, the study suggests a framework for designing teacher education programs with a focus on teachers' professional identities to effectively foster autism awareness. Furthermore, the study suggests that focusing on key professional factors such as professional pressure, professional belonging, professional awareness, and cultural pressure could make teacher education more effective, especially when tailored to different professional identities within the framework.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2026 · doi:10.1016/j.tate.2024.104799