Looking forward, looking back: Early career teachers' perceptions of their undergraduate learning goals on current practice

Although quality teaching requires ongoing professional development and critical reflection, early career teachers (ECTs) often encounter inadequate support for their professional learning. This study employs semistructured interviews to explore ECTs' perspectives on the usefulness, relevance, and importance of setting learning goals during undergraduate studies to reflect on their current teaching. Findings suggest benefits in formulating learning goals during teacher training. Collaborating with experienced colleagues emerges as a significant enabler for the efficacy of learning goals, while time constraints pose a substantial impediment. This study highlights the pivotal role of structured learning goals in enhancing pedagogical practices for novice educators.