UNCOVERING CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENTS OF DISTANCE LEARNING IN TEACHER EDUCATION: KOSOVO’S EXPERIENCE

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the pre-service teachers’ experiences with online teaching, but also to uncover the challenges and opportunities for improving the distance education in the future. A qualitative research approach using phenomenology is adapted for the study. The participants were 18 pre-service teachers studying at the different programs of the University of Prishtina’s Faculty of Education. The interviews were conducted online. The transcripts of interviews were analyzed using the interpretative phenomenological analysis. Five themes were derived from the analysis of the interview data: quality of teaching activities, positive aspects of online teaching, limitations, factors affecting online teaching, and recommendations to improve online teaching and learning in the future. This study proved the importance of pre-service teachers’ interest and motivation, but also the faculty lecturers’ professional preparedness for online teaching. Findings revealed the inability to relate theory to practice during online teaching as a lack of interaction between the university and the schools. This study is expected to serve as a guide for the expectations of preservice teachers towards the improvement of distance education in the future.