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https://doi.org/10.18502/gespr.v3i2.12613
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- Tania Aghar
-
Phil Quirke
Phil Quirke
Higher Colleges of Technology
Published Date
- Jan 16, 2023
Online Student Teaching Practicums During COVID-19: A Successful Case in the UAE
Abstract
The COVID-19 outbreak necessitated a sudden shift to online teaching and learning worldwide in early 2020. This impacted the preservice teachers’ (PTs) practicums in schools—a cornerstone of Bachelor of Education programs. The teaching practicum (TP) enables PTs to apply their theoretical learning practically. We narrate the shift to e-practicum at a higher education institute in the UAE; document the challenges faced, opportunities gained, and guidelines designed for the implementation; and recognize the vital role of the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the national federal higher education institutions in facilitating online teacher education. We describe the registration of PTs on the MoE’s online teaching and learning platform (MS Teams) and the measures that facilitated the e-practicum. The study employs a case study approach to document analysis of email correspondence and interview scripts to provide insights from the preservice and mentor school teachers. Content and thematic analyses indicate that despite the resistance and unpreparedness of PTs toward this transition—the use of unfamiliar technology—they benefitted from the e-practicum and developed strategies to allay fears, keep students on task, and overcome technical challenges with the support of their mentors. We conclude with the lessons learned and recommendations for post-pandemic TP design.
Keywords:
E-learning, Reflection on practice, E-practicum, Preservice teachers, Mentor school teachers
References
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[37] Korucu-Kış, S. (2021). Preparing student teachers for real classrooms through virtual vicarious experiences of critical incidents during remote practicum: A meaningfulexperiential learning perspective. Education and Information Technologies, 26, 6949–6971. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10555-7
[38] Lorenzo, G., & Ittelson, J. (2005). An overview of e-portfolios. Educause Learning Initiative, 1(1), 1–27.
[39] Maphalala, M. (2013). Understanding the role of mentor teachers during teaching practice session. International Journal of Educational Sciences, 5, 123–130.
[40] Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2015). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. John Wiley & Sons.
[41] Mpofu, N. (2020). Online and in the classroom: COVID-19 has put new demands on teachers. https://www.enca.com/analysis/online-and-classroom-covid-19-has-putnewdemands- teachers
[42] Nel, C., & Marais, E. (2020). Preservice teachers use WhatsApp to explain subject content to school children during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning, 21(5), 629–641.
[43] Nel, C., Botha, C., & Marais, E. (2021). A COVID-19 re-envisioned teaching practicum curriculum, Research in Social Sciences and Technology, 6(2), 249–266. https://doi.org/10.46303/ressat.2021.29
[44] Nemtchinova, E. K. (2018). Teaching practicum in preparing NESTs and NNESTs. In The TESOL encyclopedia of English language teaching (pp. 1–7). Wiley.
[45] O’Leary, Z. (2014). The essential guide to doing your research project (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications.
[46] Osman, T. M. (2020). Global impact of COVID-19 on education systems: The emergency remote teaching at Sultan Qaboos University, Journal of Education for Teaching, 46(4), 463–471. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2020.1802583
[47] Özkanal, Ü., Yüksel, İ., & Başaran-Uysal, B. Ç. (2020). The preservice teachers’ reflection-on-action during distance practicum: A critical view on EBA TV Englishcourses. Egitimde Nitel Araştırmalar Dergisi – Journal of Qualitative Research in Education, 8(4), 1347–1364. https://doi.org/10.14689/issn.2148-2624.8c.4s.12m
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[51] Quirke, P. (2018). The core of this language teacher training programme is supervised practicums. In C. Reichmann & A. L. Guedes-Pinto (Eds.), Horizontes (im)possíveis no estágio: Práticas de letramento e formação de professores de línguas (pp. 155–179). Pontes Editores.
[52] Robinson, M., & Rusznyak, L. (2020). Learning to teach without school-based experience: Conundrums and possibilities in a South African context. Journal of Education for Teaching, 46(4), 517–527. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2020.1800408
[53] Sepulveda-Escobar, P., & Morrison, A. (2020). Online teaching placement during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile: Challenges and opportunities. European Journal of Teacher Education, 43(4), 587–607.
[54] Silverman, D. (2000). Analyzing talk and text. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (2nd ed.; pp. 821–834). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
[55] Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.). Pearson.
[56] The National. (2020, April 13). Why UAE school closures are an important opportunity to fight coronavirus. The National. https://www.thenationalnews.com/opinion/editorial/why-uae-school-closures-arean- important-opportunity-to-fight-coronavirus-1.989345
[2] Anderson, L. M., & Stillman, J. A. (2013). Student teaching’s contribution to preservice teacher development. Review of Educational Research, 83(7), 3–69.
[3] Bao, W. (2020). COVID-19 and online teaching in higher education: A case study of Peking University. Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, 2(2), 113–115. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbe2.191
[4] Beattie, M. (1997). Fostering reflective practice in teacher education: Inquiry as a framework for the construction of professional knowledge in teaching. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 25(2), 111–128.
[5] Bowen, G. A. (2009). Document analysis as a qualitative research method. Qualitative Research Journal, 9(2), 27–40. https://doi.org/10.3316/QRJ0902027
[6] Burton, J. (2005). The importance of teachers writing on TESOL. TESL-EJ, 9(2), 1–18. http://tesl-ej.org/ej34/a2.pdf
[7] Burton, J., Quirke, P., Reichmann, C. & Peyton, J. (2009). Reflective writing: A way to lifelong teacher learning. TESL-EJ Publications. http://teslej. org/books/reflective_writing.pdf
[8] Conderman, G., Johnston-Rodriguez, S., Hartman, P., & Walker, D. (2013). Honoring voices from beginning special educators for making changes in teacher preparation. Teacher Education and Special Education, 36(1), 65–76.
[9] Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2008). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
[10] Creswell, J. W. (2007). Qualitative inquiry and research method: Choosing among five approaches. SAGE Publications.
[11] Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
[12] Damar, E., & Salı, P. (2013). ELT teacher trainees’ reflective feedback to their cooperating teachers. Journal of Educational and Social Research, 3(7), 235–242.
[13] Darling-Hammond, L. (2017). Teacher education around the world: What can we learn from international practice? European Journal of Teacher Education, 40(3), 291–309. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2017.1315399
[14] Darling-Hammond, L. (1999). Educating teachers for the next century: Rethinking practice and policy. In G. Griffin (Ed.), The education of teachers (pp. 221–256). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
[15] Demuyakor, J. (2020). Coronavirus (COVID-19) and online learning in higher institutions of education: A survey of the perceptions of Ghanaian international students in China. Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 10(3), e202018. https://doi.org/10.29333/ojcmt/8286
[16] Eisner, E. W. (2002). From episteme to phronesis to artistry in the study and improvement of teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education, 18, 375–385.
[17] e-learning Glossary. (2020). Asynchronous vs. synchronous elearning. Learn. https://mindflash.com/elearning-glossary/asynchronous-synchronous
[18] Emirates 24/7. (2020, March 24). UAE called for all Emirati students studying abroad to return within 48 hours. Emirates 24/7. https://www.emirates247.com/news/emirates/uae-calls-for-all-emirati-studentsstudying- abroad-to-return-within-48-hours-2020-03-24-1.693606
[19] Ersin, P., & Atay, D. (2021). Exploring online mentoring with preservice teachers in a pandemic and the need to deliver quality education. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, 10(2), 203–215.
[20] Ersin, P., Atay, D., & Mede, E. (2020). Boosting preservice teachers’ competence and online teaching readiness through e-practicum during the COVID-19 outbreak. International Journal of TESOL Studies, 2(2), 112–124.
[21] Evagorou, M., & Nisiforou, E. (2020). Engaging preservice teachers in an online STEM fair during COVID-19. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 28(2), 179–186.
[22] Fereday, J., & Muir-Cochrane, E. (2006). Demonstrating rigor using thematic analysis: A hybrid approach of inductive and deductive coding and theme development. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 5(1), 80–92. https://doi.org/10.1177/160940690600500107
[23] Finlay, I. (2001). Data on the doorstep: Using documents for researching further education. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 6(2), 141–155, https://doi.org/ 10.1080/13596740100200099
[24] Flaherty, C. (2020). Synchronous instruction is hot right now, but is it sustainable? Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/04/29/synchronousinstruction- hot-right-now-it-sustainable
[25] Flores, M. A., & Gago, M. (2020). Teacher education in times of COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal: National, institutional and pedagogical responses. Journal of Education for Teaching, 46(4), 507–516.
[26] Goldhaber, D., & Ronfeldt, M. (2020). Sustaining teacher training in a shifting environment. Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University.
[27] Gulf News. (2020, March 18). Coronavirus: Emirati students in UK flying home as campuses close. Gulf News. https://gulfnews.com/uae/education/coronavirusemirati- students-in-uk-flying-home-as-campuses-close-1.70473494
[28] Harris, J., Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. (2009). Teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge and learning activity types: Curriculum-based technology integration reframed. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 41(4), 393– 416.
[29] Hojeij, Z., & Baroudi, S. (2021). Engaging preservice teachers in virtual field experience during COVID-19: Designing a framework to inform the practice. International Journal of Distance Education Technologies (IJDET), 19(3), 14–32. http://doi.org/10.4018/IJDET.2021070102
[30] Hrastinski, S. (2008). Asynchronous and synchronous e-learning. Educause Quarterly, 31(4), 51–55.
[31] Hughes, A. (2014). Comparing asynchronous and synchronous learning. Learning Solutions. https://learningsolutionsmag.com/articles/1577/comparing-asynchronousand- synchronous-learning
[32] International Association of Universities. (2020). The impact of Covid-19 on higher education around the world. https://www.iauiu. net/IMG/pdf/iau_covid19_and_he_survey_report_final_may_2020.pdf
[33] Jin, M. (2022). Preservice teachers’ online teaching experiences during COVID- 19. Early Childhood Education Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-022-01316-3
[34] Johnson, K. (2002). Second language teacher education. TESOL Matters, 12(2), 1; 8.
[35] Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice-Hall. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.40300 80408
[36] Kim, J. (2020). Learning and teaching online during Covid-19: Experiences of student teachers in an early childhood education practicum. International Journal of Early Childhood, 52(2), 145–158. https//doi.org/10.1007/s13158-020-00272-6
[37] Korucu-Kış, S. (2021). Preparing student teachers for real classrooms through virtual vicarious experiences of critical incidents during remote practicum: A meaningfulexperiential learning perspective. Education and Information Technologies, 26, 6949–6971. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10555-7
[38] Lorenzo, G., & Ittelson, J. (2005). An overview of e-portfolios. Educause Learning Initiative, 1(1), 1–27.
[39] Maphalala, M. (2013). Understanding the role of mentor teachers during teaching practice session. International Journal of Educational Sciences, 5, 123–130.
[40] Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2015). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. John Wiley & Sons.
[41] Mpofu, N. (2020). Online and in the classroom: COVID-19 has put new demands on teachers. https://www.enca.com/analysis/online-and-classroom-covid-19-has-putnewdemands- teachers
[42] Nel, C., & Marais, E. (2020). Preservice teachers use WhatsApp to explain subject content to school children during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning, 21(5), 629–641.
[43] Nel, C., Botha, C., & Marais, E. (2021). A COVID-19 re-envisioned teaching practicum curriculum, Research in Social Sciences and Technology, 6(2), 249–266. https://doi.org/10.46303/ressat.2021.29
[44] Nemtchinova, E. K. (2018). Teaching practicum in preparing NESTs and NNESTs. In The TESOL encyclopedia of English language teaching (pp. 1–7). Wiley.
[45] O’Leary, Z. (2014). The essential guide to doing your research project (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications.
[46] Osman, T. M. (2020). Global impact of COVID-19 on education systems: The emergency remote teaching at Sultan Qaboos University, Journal of Education for Teaching, 46(4), 463–471. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2020.1802583
[47] Özkanal, Ü., Yüksel, İ., & Başaran-Uysal, B. Ç. (2020). The preservice teachers’ reflection-on-action during distance practicum: A critical view on EBA TV Englishcourses. Egitimde Nitel Araştırmalar Dergisi – Journal of Qualitative Research in Education, 8(4), 1347–1364. https://doi.org/10.14689/issn.2148-2624.8c.4s.12m
[48] Programs and Curriculum, Academic Affairs. (2021). Higher Colleges of Technology 2021–2022 catalog. Higher Colleges of Technology. https://myhctportal.hct.ac.ae/SiteAssets/Assets/Docs/HCT_Catalogue_2021- 2022_30Aug.pdf
[49] Quintana, M. G. B., & Zambrano, E. P. (2014). E-mentoring: The effects of pedagogical training of rural teachers with complex geographical accesses. Computers in Human Behaviour, 30, 629–636.
[50] Quirke, P. (2009). An exploration of teacher knowledge. VDM Publishers.
[51] Quirke, P. (2018). The core of this language teacher training programme is supervised practicums. In C. Reichmann & A. L. Guedes-Pinto (Eds.), Horizontes (im)possíveis no estágio: Práticas de letramento e formação de professores de línguas (pp. 155–179). Pontes Editores.
[52] Robinson, M., & Rusznyak, L. (2020). Learning to teach without school-based experience: Conundrums and possibilities in a South African context. Journal of Education for Teaching, 46(4), 517–527. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2020.1800408
[53] Sepulveda-Escobar, P., & Morrison, A. (2020). Online teaching placement during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile: Challenges and opportunities. European Journal of Teacher Education, 43(4), 587–607.
[54] Silverman, D. (2000). Analyzing talk and text. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (2nd ed.; pp. 821–834). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
[55] Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.). Pearson.
[56] The National. (2020, April 13). Why UAE school closures are an important opportunity to fight coronavirus. The National. https://www.thenationalnews.com/opinion/editorial/why-uae-school-closures-arean- important-opportunity-to-fight-coronavirus-1.989345