Suggestıng an onlıne practıcum model on an exploratıon of the learnıng gaıns ın an EFL remote teachıng practıce course: Onlıne, practıcum, model ETCETera

Abstract

Despite the growing popularity of online teaching especially following the COVID-19, the research addressing online language teacher education (OLTE) is still scarce. As another contribution to the narrow OLTE literature, the current study explores a semester-long online practicum experience with a particular focus on the learning gains student teachers (STs) made. Adopting a qualitative orientation, we collected data from 14 STs and 4 school-based mentor teachers (SMTs). In addition, the field observation notes of the university-based teacher educator (UTE), who is also the first author, enriched the data sources. Based on all the participants’ assessment and reflections, the learning gains were delineated. The results demonstrated that the procedures implemented in the course produced striking improvements in STs’ online language teaching skills, thus they were formed into a model titled ‘Online, Practicum, Model ETCEtera’ to design an online practicum course in pre-service English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher education programs. The model requires a close coordination between faculties of education and practice schools. It involves a repeated cycle of ETCE, i.e., exploration, teaching, collaboration, and evaluation. Throughout the whole process, the STs are involved in constant observation and reflection, which altogether lead to favourable learning outcomes.