Voices of novice EFL teachers in a remote island region of Indonesia: Teacher identity and TPACK perspectives

Lita Liviani Taopan
Universitas Tribuana Kalabahi, Indonesia
Zulfa Sakhiyya, Sri Wuli Fitriati and Januarius Mujiyanto
Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia

This study explores how novice English teachers in a remote island region of Indonesia navigate the challenges of geographical and professional isolation. Building upon previous investigation into teacher identity growth and professional formation (Taopan et al., 2024, 2025), we focus on the lived experiences of six novice English teachers in the Alor District to understand how they survive and thrive in underserved communities. Using a narrative inquiry, we analyse life stories collected since 2020 through personal journals, in-depth interviews, observations and direct field visits to participants in their respective villages. Findings reveal that despite severe limitations in technological and pedagogical resources, participants leverage the TPACK framework as a vital lifeline to overcome the barriers of remoteness. This process is central to the construction of resilient professional, personal and institutional identities. We propose the TPACK and Teacher Identity integration framework to illustrate the dynamic, ongoing process of becoming an empowered educator in a nation's most challenging environments.
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Authors: Dr Lita Liviani Taopan (corresponding author) is an educator and researcher in English language education, Universitas Tribuana Kalabahi, Indonesia. She specialises in the integration of technology in teaching, particularly in remote areas. Her work employs narrative inquiry to gain insights into teacher identity and practices, with the goal of empowering educators and enriching learning experiences for students in challenging environments. Through her research, she seeks to bridge the gap between technology and education, fostering innovative approaches that enhance teaching and learning in underserved communities. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6081-7165 Email: litalivianitaopan@gmail.com Dr Zulfa Sakhiyya is Associate Professor at the Faculty of Languages and Arts, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia, and was a Fulbright Visiting Scholar in Ohio State University, USA, in 2023. Zulfa is a discourse analyst focusing on how knowledge is produced, represented, and published in the area. Her work has been published in journals such as Gender and Education; Globalization, Societies and Education; International Journal of Multilingualism; and Pedagogy, Culture and Society. Zulfa received the Barr Mosenthal Award granted by the International Literacy Association in 2022 for her literacy research in Indonesia. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4183-977X Email: zulfa.sakhiyya@mail.unnes.ac.id Dr Sri Wuli Fitriati is a Professor at Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia. She holds a masters degree in education (MPd) and a doctorate (PhD) in fields related to teaching English as a foreign language. Her primary areas of study are TEFL (Teaching English as a foreign language) and discourse analysis. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6405-1371 Email: SriWuli.Fitriati@mail.unnes.ac.id Dr Januarius Mujiyanto is a Professor of Linguistics at Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia. He has extensive expertise in general linguistics, applied linguistics, and educational linguistics, particularly in the realm of English language teaching. He holds both a doctorate and a masters degree in humanities, specialising in linguistic studies and English pedagogy. Although he is now retired, he remains actively engaged in teaching, sharing his wealth of knowledge and experience with the next generation of learners. His enduring passion for education continues to inspire students and colleagues alike. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2627-9789 Email: yanmujiyanto@mail.unnes.ac.id Please cite as: Taopan, L. L., Sakhiyya, Z., Fitriati, S. W. & Mujiyanto, J. (2026). Voices of novice EFL teachers in a remote island region of Indonesia: Teacher identity and TPACK perspectives. Issues in Educational Research, 36(1), 319-334. http://www.iier.org.au/iier36/taopan.pdf