Mapping the Self: Exploring Teachers’ Professional Identity and Development Through Ego-Centred Network Card Analysis

The professional development of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education has been converted from rigid hierarchical models to more flexible and context-sensitive frameworks. This study introduces ego-centred network card analysis as a new methodology to investigate how Indonesian university EFL teachers create and negotiate their professional identities. The data were collected from 11 experienced EFL teachers. The network cards were analysed to find the nodes and sectors of professional identity and development. Drawing on constructivist and sociocultural perspectives, the study findings indicated that the formation is influenced by relational, emotional and institutional influences, and that family support, mentoring, and career goals alleviate pressures such as workload, publication demands, and financial instability. The findings highlight identity as both a product and a driving force for professional development, extending sociocultural theories by visualizing hidden dimensions of teachers’ networks. Methodologically, this study demonstrates the value of visual-relational tools in capturing complexity beyond interviews or surveys. The results suggest that, in practice, teacher education and policy must integrate structured mentorship, peer reflection, and recognition of emotional work in order to maintain professional growth.