Exploring where and how second-career teachers utilise their previous professional expertise

Abstract

Second-career teachers (SCTs) bring previous professional expertise (PPE) acquired in domains unrelated to teaching that could be beneficial for education; however, whether expertise can be transferred between domains is contested, as expertise is considered domain-specific. This study presents different ways in which transfer of PPE can be of influence and uses these to investigate how SCTs perceive the transfer of PPE. Based on an analysis of their reflections, it describes how SCTs perceive the influence of PPE differently for different teacher tasks. The results provide insights into how SCTs can be better supported in leveraging their PPE.