Broadening Career Horizons through Job Shadowing: A Qualitative Thematic Study of Croatian Pre-Service Teachers in Gifted, Inclusive, Upper-Secondary, and Vocational Education Settings

Abstract

This qualitative thematic study examined how 44 Croatian pre-service teachers perceived career awareness and professional identity development following job shadowing, who had completed four structured job shadowing experiences in diverse educational settings: An upper secondary school, a STEM-focused vocational school, a center for gifted students, and a center for students with disabilities. Data were collected using a 17-item Checklist Open Form and a Structured Learning Diary consisting of six open-ended items. Thematic analysis revealed a strong presence of professional identity development, followed by engagement and satisfaction, across all educational contexts. Participants’ reflections highlighted career commitment and engagement with the teaching profession following the jobshadowing experiences. Reflection on inclusive and differentiated practices was present in all four contexts but varied considerably in prominence and was most pronounced in the setting involving students with disabilities. Awareness of digital technology integration as a component of teaching practice was limited. Practical recommendations were put forward for integrating structured job shadowing into teacher education curricula, with implications for European programs, where structured exposure of pre-service teachers to inclusive practices and meaningful integration of technology in teaching to enhance more effective professional development among them.