Abstract
The COVID-19 situation compelled the preservice student-teachers (PSTs) of the Institute of Education and Research (IER), Dhaka University Bangladesh, to complete their practicum online. As such, the challenges and opportunities of online practicum needed to be explored. A qualitative study was undertaken and a conceptual framework was developed combining an ‘offer-and-use’ model of teaching practicum (Helmke, 2008), based on the ‘source-position-performance’ framework (Day & Wensley, 1988). Purposive and convenience sampling were used to collect data through a semi-structured questionnaire from 28 PSTs, and a thematic analysis helped to identify their opportunities and challenges. Identified challenges were gender and cultural biasness, lack of financial and technical support, improper guidance and training, a lack of motivation as the practicum is non-paid, a lack of information and technological literacy, cognitive development, and inefficiency in cost management. This study recommends reconsidering a blended mode of Micro-teaching and Simulation courses, and providing soft loan and internet cost-related support from the institution level.
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