Learning to Teach Online During the Pandemic: Chilean EFL Pre-service Teachers’ Experiences in their First Online Practicum

Conference: The Paris Conference on Education (PCE2022)
Title: Learning to Teach Online During the Pandemic: Chilean EFL Pre-service Teachers’ Experiences in their First Online Practicum
Stream: Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis
Presentation Type: Live-Stream Presentation
Authors:
Diego Monasterio, Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins, Chile
Mirona Moraru, Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins, Chile
Julio Marty, Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins, Chile
Erika Ramírez, Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins, Chile

Abstract:

As a result of Covid-19, educational contexts have been strongly disrupted; consequently, initial teacher training programs have had to find alternative modalities to continue teaching how to teach. One of the strongest affected areas has been the practicum component of these programs, which is usually carried out on-site. The main objective of the present article is to explore the experiences of a group of Chilean EFL pre-service teachers during their first online practicum carried out as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Furthermore, it outlines the pre-service teachers’ beliefs with regards to the impact that this experience might have on their initial teacher training in the short and long term. This article employs a qualitative design, with an exploratory and descriptive approach; eight in-depth interviews with Chilean EFL pre-service teachers carrying out final practicum in a Santiago-based TEFL program were conducted. The main findings refer to three sets of challenges and opportunities: the focus on technological and pedagogical skills as opposed to content; autonomy in the classroom paired with neglect on the side of the mentor teacher; and the ability to build bonds as opposed to being affected by the pupils’ lack of motivation. The importance of the study resides in the exploration of the Chilean pre-service teachers’ voices regarding their first online practicum experience, helping to understand the effects of the pandemic in the process of initial teacher training with the aim to rethink and reshape this process for future generations.

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