Professional identity and learning burnout in college students majoring in art education: Professional commitment as a mediator

Abstract

In China the goal of art education for college students is to train them to become teachers of various art categories, including design, dance, painting, and music. We investigated the effect of professional identity on learning burnout among 505 college students majoring in art education, and assessed the mediating role of professional commitment in this relationship. The results indicate that there was a significant negative correlation between professional identity and learning burnout. Furthermore, professional commitment mediated the relationship between professional identity and learning burnout. Our findings contribute to understanding of the relationships among professional identity, professional commitment, and learning burnout in college students studying art education in the context of Chinese higher education. The findings also provide educators with practical implications to avoid learning burnout among students. Future directions for research are suggested.