Abstract:

Contemporary professional education in the digital era carries significant implications for rethinking course design and curricula in teacher education, requiring development of teacher education curricula focusing on professional, context-based, contemporary, knowledge construction [1]. Implementing online modes of teaching in teacher education programs may be a lever for innovative blended teaching and learning, despite its complexities [2]. However, several barriers have been identified [3].

This mixed methods study identifies domains of knowledge that preservice students, their practice teachers and pedagogical advisors perceived as crucial for online teaching. Our research question: What domains of knowledge characterize the digital teacher learning space, and how can these be translated into a model for mentoring in the blended teacher learning space? The study draws on qualitative and quantitative methodologies, applied in a sequential manner:
1. Focus groups interviews of stakeholders (N=14) in teacher training programs, aimed to create an evidence-based professional development mentoring model for improving preservice teachers’ online teaching skills;
2. Consolidation of 5 knowledge domains, translated into 5 operative questions, representing requirements for best online teaching;
3. Development 5 modules for the 5 domains, based on the interviews;
4. Design-based pilot study with teacher educators – a laboratory for examining, applying the modules in their preservice teaching;
5. A quantitative component including validated questionnaires distributed to teacher educators (pre-, N=19; post, N=12) and preservice teachers (research group, N=94; control group, N=67) regarding their practical and perceived experience with the bodies of knowledge.

Findings indicate that the 5 knowledge domains characterizing the digital teaching space were reinforced in our questionnaire results, both by teacher educators and preservice teachers: engaging towards learning; monitoring students’ learning; interacting and communicating learning; retooling content; and developing digital literacy. Monitoring and developing digital literacies were seen as vital to applying best online practices. The laboratory was perceived as a platform for curriculum and teacher development, enabling collaborative contemplation into online teaching through theorizing, reconstructing and transforming teaching practices. Utilizing the modules impacted teacher educators, their preservice teachers and the students in schools, foregrounding major challenges of teacher education practices.

References:
[1] J. Wang & L. Orland-Barak, “Teacher mentoring in service of preservice teachers’ learning to teach: Conceptual bases, characteristics, and challenges for teacher education reform,” Journal of Teacher Education, vol. 35 no. 6, pp. 42-55, 2020.
[2] F. Martin, T. Sun, & C. D Westine, “A systematic review of research on online teaching and learning from 2009 to 2018. Computers & education, vol. 159, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2020.104009
[3] C. Tømte, A.B. Enochsson, U. Buskqvist & A. Kårstein, “Educating online student teachers to master professional digital competence: The TPACK-framework goes online,” Computers & Education, vol. 84, pp. 26-35, 2015.

Keywords:

Teacher education, online learning, blended learning, knowledge domains.