Time to Transform: Challenges and Opportunities for Teaching Practice During COVID-19 and Beyond

Authors

Muhammad Abid Malik MAM, Beaconhouse National University, PakistanFollow
Hina Amin HA, Virtual University of Pakistan, Pakistan
Saleha Ali SA, Virtual University of Pakistan, Pakistan

Abstract

Teaching practice is one of the most significant components of a teacher education program that prepares prospective teachers for a fast-changing and technology-infused world. However, in many developing countries like Pakistan, it has remained stuck in the traditional methods (face-to-face, without proper utilization of technology) which made it vulnerable during COVID-19. This study explores teaching practice methods and strategies used by Pakistani universities before and during COVID-19. It further identifies the causes behind its deficiencies to prepare prospective teachers for the challenges of the current era. Using semi-structured interviews, data was gathered from nine teaching practice supervisors from nine different universities. The study found that before COVID-19, eight universities used traditional methods and strategies for teaching practice. During COVID-19, the universities used four different approaches (online teaching practice in mock classes, online teaching practice with real students, microteaching 2.0, and teaching practice through emails and WhatsApp groups) for its continuation. Ignoring modern tools and technologies, lack of focus and attention, and a clerical approach were reported to be the main reasons behind its deficiencies to prepare prospective teachers for the challenges of the current world. The study highlights the importance of using blended modes for teaching practice, allocating some credit hours/modules for purely online teaching practice, giving more importance to it, and providing specialized training to teaching practice supervisors and cooperating teachers so that they can supervise and assess prospective teachers more effectively.

Keywords

teacher education, teaching practice, COVID-19, blended learning, microteaching, thematic analysis

Author Bio(s)

Dr. Muhammad Abid Malik (corresponding author) is currently working with Beaconhouse National University, Pakistan. He has a PhD in comparative education from Beijing Normal University, China. His main areas of interest are comparative education, qualitative research method, ICT in education, blended learning, shadow education, educational leadership, higher education, and teachers’ professional development. He has published more than 30 research articles, book chapters and books so far. Please direct correspondence to m_abidmalik7@yahoo.com.

Dr. Hina Amin is working with Virtual University of Pakistan. Her areas of interest are blended learning, digital technologies, and teacher education. She has published multiple research articles in Pakistani and international journals.

Miss Saleha Ali is currently working with Virtual University of Pakistan. Her main areas of interest are educational leadership, teacher education, and online education.

Publication Date

8-12-2023

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2023.5990

Recommended APA Citation

Malik, M., Amin, H., & Ali, S. (2023). Time to Transform: Challenges and Opportunities for Teaching Practice During COVID-19 and Beyond. The Qualitative Report, 28(8), 2343-2362. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2023.5990

ORCID ID

0000-0002-7676-3034