Abstract:

Teacher education courses have been offered to candidates through online instruction for many years, including literacy instruction methods courses. Some offerings have been to candidates in other countries whose first language is not English.

Scholars have examined this phenomenon and have found that teacher education courses delivered through the medium of online instruction may be perceived by candidates as an effective preparation. (Chiero, et al 2015, Farooq et al 2015). Chiero, et al (2015), in their large-scale study at California State University comparing online teacher preparation with more traditional in-person teacher preparation, found equivalent outcomes on their careful measures, with no statistical differences in the measured outcomes of the two pathways, and the great majority of differences actually favoring the online pathway. In studying this issue, however, scholars have qualified these positive observations with caveats; Chiero, et al (2015) described cohort groups, close collaboration between faculty and candidates, substantial fieldwork, and a spiral curriculum integrated with fieldwork as factors likely contributing to the effectiveness of the target online program. Similarly, Lim (2015) urged that online teacher education courses with students in China may be effective if the course design and implementation is done carefully and responsively. Huang (2005) and Chen (2012) noted that there may be some cultural dissonance in approaches to teaching and learning among Western professors and Chinese students, observed during in-person classes and even during online experiences, and found evidence that Chinese students felt the need for authoritatively presented and confirmed information. When constructivist-aligned instruction was utilized with Chinese learners, they often were dissatisfied with the experience because they valued highly structured, briskly paced lectures with associated readings, and the student-centered constructivist learning experiences were not considered valid sources of knowledge. Tan (2018) reported that some Chinese students had a transformational experience during a course under these conditions. Teacher candidates in China who were ELLs needed teacher supports and scaffolding in assignments, but were successful in online teacher education courses. (Li & Hu, 2018).

International online courses may also encounter the challenge of large class sizes and their attending consequences as a cultural norm (Maringe & Sing, 2014).
In spite of these challenges and caveats, some scholars have found that university lecturers and teacher candidates who were not English language natives reported that English medium instruction had “enhanced their linguistic and social capital, providing the younger teachers with a more international professional identity and a promising academic future” (Dafouz, 2018). Online instruction with international students is enhanced when professors strive to be real and personal online (Song, et al, 2019).

This session presents observations gained in conducting a synchronous English-language online teacher education course for first-year teacher candidates in China, with emphasis on instructional elements that were ineffective and elements that had positive results.

Keywords:

Teacher Education, Virtual Learning, International, Instruction through English Language, Literacy Instruction, Early Childhood.