From Onsite to Online: Perspectives on Preservice Teachers’ Instructional Engagement

Abstract

The abrupt transition from onsite to online learning modality has presented educational institutions with both challenges and opportunities. As institutions are slowly moving towards the now normal (post-pandemic), it is vital to reflect on effective online teaching and learning experiences, as these add to the new repertoire of practice, especially for teacher education institutions. The study employed a descriptive quantitative research design utilizing a validated survey questionnaire as the main data-gathering tool. The results of the study reveal that preservice teachers have high instructional engagement with technology and with course content, but the online modality has somehow limited their instructional engagement with instructors and classmates. Furthermore, the results reveal relevant insights on how teachers can maximize technological opportunities while maintaining human connections to enable more engaging online classroom experiences between teachers and students. Universities can therefore continue to actively provide relevant technical and educational training. This is important to accommodate in person, online, and hybrid educational modalities.