Editorial: Navigating Trends and Challenges in Educational Professionalism

Arumugam Raman^1*Asha Priya Thangavelu²Rajalakshmi Sulur Anbalagan²Priya V²Indu H³Sundaresan Gayatridevi³Thiyagu K⁴

• ¹Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok, Malaysia
• ²Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore, India
• ³Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore, India
• ⁴Central University of Karnataka, Kalaburagi, India

This research topic, "Navigating Trends and Challenges in Educational Professionalism," was thus initiated to consolidate empirical and theoretical work examining how educators across various contexts negotiate professionalism amid these changing conditions. The contributions compiled herein document existing tensions and best practices and propose directions for rethinking educator professionalism during these dynamic times.The main goals of this topic were to (1) explore how teachers understand and express their professional identity amidst modern challenges, (2) identify systemic, institutional, and personal elements that either facilitate or hinder professionalism, and (3) suggest frameworks or strategies to enhance professional skills in various environments. By encouraging contributions from different educational levels, cultural backgrounds, and research methods, we intended to gather comprehensive, cross-contextual insights rather than focusing narrowly on a single discipline.The articles published under this topic can be clustered into three thematic strands. Several studies on this topic have delved into how teachers conceptualize themselves as professionals and researchers in complex environments. For example, Ni (2024) examined how English teachers in a regional Chinese university articulated their research engagement amid institutional constraints, shedding light on the internal tensions between aspiration and action. Similarly, Ghiasvand et al. ( 2024) explored educator resilience in higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing how stressors strain professional commitment yet prompt adaptive strategies. Lunina and Jurgilė (2024) reported on teachers working with refugee children, highlighting loneliness, lack of support, and emotional challenges as realities that test professional resolve. Together, these contributions underscore that professionalism is not static but is continually negotiated concerning institutional constraints, well-being pressures, and identity tensions. The (2025) examine educational experiences in single-parent contexts to call for deeper educational professionalism that is socially responsive and equitable.While each article brings a distinct lens, they sketch a multifaceted portrait of educational professionalism: identity in tension, contextually mediated, and practice grounded in pedagogical commitment.From a broader perspective, these contributions advance this field in several ways. First, they reinforce that professionalism is not a monolithic, static set of norms but a dynamic, contested space in which identity, context, and practice intersect. Second, they signal that future professionalism research must attend to well-being, institutional constraints, and pedagogical innovation in tandem-not in isolation. Third, methodologically, they exemplify diverse designs (systematic reviews, quantitative modelling, narrative inquiry) that can be leveraged to triangulate the understanding of professionalism.We suggest a few promising pathways for future research. One is the integration of longitudinal designs to trace how professional identity evolves over time and in the face of change (e.g., policy shifts, digital disruptions). Another focus is on intervention studies: How might professional development programs or institutional reforms promote sustainable professionalism? Also crucial is comparative and cross-cultural work to discern universal versus context-bound professional norms. Finally, more attention to power relations, equity, and social justice is merited professionalism should not merely maintain the system but critically transform it in an inclusive direction.We sincerely thank the authors whose rigorous work has enriched this Research Topic. Your insights will help us better understand how educators negotiate professionalism in complex, shifting environments. We hope this collection stimulates further dialogue, empirical inquiry, and institutional innovation in educational professionalism.