The ATEE Annual Conference 2025, hosted in Dublin, addressed the timely theme “The Making of Authentic Teachers in Ages of Artificiality.” While much of the international discourse in recent months has centered on the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) for education, this conference highlighted authenticity as a central concern for teacher education and professional development.
Key Themes from the Conference
Several research strands converged on the importance of authenticity in teacher education:
- Dual-identity professionals: Teachers are increasingly navigating boundary crossings between schools, universities, and policy contexts.
- Value dynamics: Attitudinal, experiential, and creative values shape meaning, motivation, and job satisfaction for teacher educators.
- Professional development priorities: Current agendas place strong emphasis on inclusion, didactics, digital competences, and leadership.
- Intercultural perspectives: Authenticity requires continuous self-reflection and social awareness in diverse educational environments.
- AI in education: Critical debates are emerging on how AI reshapes both learning processes and the teacher’s professional role.
Contribution from FOOTTPRINTTS
The Erasmus+ FOOTT PRINTTS project directly engages with these debates. Our findings show that authenticity is not a rhetorical ambition but a lived priority for teachers themselves.
At ATEE 2025, we presented the first empirical results from our study and introduced the FOOTT PRINTTS framework draft. The framework explores how authenticity in teacher education can be sustained and developed, even under conditions of rapid digitalisation and societal change. During our presentations we were delighted to have high interest in the more detailed results of our research that will be uploaded onto our website shortly.
Next Steps
We invite colleagues and stakeholders to engage further with our work:
- Subscribe to our newsletter via www.foottprintts.eu for updates on ongoing research.
- Join us at the FOOTTPRINTTS Conference 2026 in Vienna – registration is now open: Register here.
