THE DYNAMICS OF PROFESSIONAL IDEAL OF UNIVERSITY TEACHERS AND INFLUENCING FACTORS Anu Haamer 1 , Liina Lepp 2 , Elina Reva 3 1 University of Tartu (Estonia) 2 University of Tartu (Estonia) 3 Tallinn University (Estonia) E-mails: anu.haamer@ut.ee, leppl@ut.ee, ereva9@gmail.com Abstract The social, economic and political changes have challenged the objectives of classical education and have led to consideration of what the character of ideal teachers should be and how they should be prepared (Cochran-Smith & Fries, 2001). In that field is growing need to pay attention on reflective activites. Reflection is generally acknowledged as an important part of teacher education and a central activity in teacher development. The close connection between reflection and identity development has been noted in literature on teacher education (Beauchamp & Lynn, 2010; Loughran, 2002). Reflection helps to get more aware of the different aspects in person that influence their professional development. Aspects that influence the development of professional identity are deeply connected with perceptions about ideal-self as professional and concepts that this ideal professional is based on (Verhofstadt- Deneve, 2003; Kelchtermans, 1993; Day, 1998). The study and research of the image of the good (university) teacher contributes important information that informs the process of university teachers development. Investigating the image of an ideal teacher helps to understand the dynamics of developmental process of teacher . Current research examines two images of teachers as seen by university teachers: the ideal (university) teacher before they start teaching and the ideal (university) teacher after they have taught a while. We focused in our research how the image of ideal teacher has changed in time and reasons that have influenced the change. Data were collected from teachers during the reflective activites in training-groups. A qualitative design was used in current research. Three focus-group interviews with 31 participants total were carried out during 3 different training groups. Interviews were analysed using the qualitative content analysis. The findings of the current research are coherent with previous researches that indicate that ideal identity of teacher’s before their actual teaching is more oriented to personal qualities and the knowledge of the subject (Husu, Toom & Patrikainen, 2008; Arnon & Reichel, 2007). There is tendency that ideals are adapted according to teaching practice. The ideals are seen as unstable, influenced by the context that surrounds them. Our research shows that the images of ideal teacher change rapidly during the actual teaching. After some teaching experience didactic knowledge and communicative skills comes into the centre of the ideal identity. Personal qualities and knowledge of subject are constantly valued. The study opens the way to further and deeper discussion of images of a good university teacher. Keywords: Professional identity, reflection, ideal image, professional development.