Online practicum during pandemic: “they’re in the classroom but i’m online”

ABSTRACT The study aims to reveal preschool teacher candidates’ online practicum experiences during the pandemic – the teacher candidates connected to preschool classes online while the children were face-to-face with their class teachers. The participants of this phenomenological study were 18 preschool teacher candidates studying at a public university in Turkey. Data were collected via individual interviews, micro-teaching observations, and portfolios. Thematic content analysis was used for data analysis. The results showed that teacher candidates had to deal with technical problems. Still, they gained experience teaching online with young children and improved their digital skills and technological pedagogical content knowledge. They did not have the opportunity to develop teaching self-efficacy for face-to-face education. Teacher candidates especially expressed their concerns about classroom management and bonding with children.