Abstract:

Teacher education and professional development remain among the main priorities of today’s educational systems. The challenge is how to organize teacher preparation so that pre-service teachers entering schools are ready to face the realities of educational practice and work independently. Reflective practice lies at the core of this process - a cyclical and progressive journey in which teachers analyze their own actions, derive insights from experience, and plan for future improvement. In Lithuania, the reflective practice model is implemented through the use of an electronic diary (e-diary) as a learning tool that enables the systematic recording, analysis, and reflection of practical activities during teacher training.

This study analyzes data from e-diary entries written by 76 students enrolled in Primary Education and Early Foreign Language Teaching programs during the academic years 2024 - 2026. In total, 521 practical pedagogical situations were recorded. The data analysis followed six stages: data access, coding, theme identification, revision, thematic summary, and report preparation. The thematic analysis was conducted across three interrelated aspects: the profile of a pre-service teacher, interpersonal interaction, and dynamic trajectories of professional growth.

The results revealed that the profile of a pre-service teacher emerging from the e-diaries is characterized by innovation, creativity, and transformative potential at both classroom and school levels. Pre-service teachers introduce book clubs, redesign parent meetings, and create engaging homework formats. They describe themselves as highly dedicated to lesson planning and experimentation, searching for ways to make learning experiences more engaging and meaningful. In their reflections, pre-service teachers also identify with multiple roles - psychologist, caregiver, and absorber of emotions - highlighting the emotional dimension of teaching. Alongside their professional identity, the diaries also reveal the human side of teachers: moments of exhaustion, doubt, and loneliness, but also self-awareness, empathy, and resilience. The findings emphasize the importance of collegial support, mentorship, and acceptance by the professional community in the early stages of a teacher’s career. Experiences of “first times” and “moments of wonder” are crucial in preventing routine and professional burnout.

Keywords:

Experiential learning, Pre-service teacher, Electronic diary, Reflection, Professional growth.