The Future of Field Experiences in Distance Education:

Abstract

In an attempt to be more culturally responsive to the needs of its students, universities across the country are leveraging technologies to make their campuses more readily available to a broader student audience. Yet, with the proliferation of online teacher preparation programs, difficulties arise in providing preservice teachers with quality field experiences. This case study examines how telepresence robotic technology was used to facilitate a field experience that would otherwise have been prohibitive in a master of arts in teaching program. While a substantial body of literature examines the use of virtual environments and technologies in educating hard-to-reach populations, little research has been done in how telepresence technologies may effectively bridge the access gap for preservice teachers who are place-bound geographically. The findings from this study suggest that, when coupled with the implementation of effective co-teaching practices, telepresence technology can facilitate meaningful field experiences in real time, for place-bound preservice teachers without local K-12 institutions to host their field experiences.