The same, but different? Learning activities, perceived learning success, and social support during the practical term of teacher education in times of COVID-19

Abstract

The practical phases of teacher education programs are of high relevance for pre-service teachers and their professional development. The challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting changes in schools might have affected pre-service teachers’ learning experiences during the long-term internships of initial teacher education programs in various ways. This article focuses on pre-service teachers’ experiences during their practical term during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will address three questions: first, how did pre-service teachers experience different kinds of learning activities in school (e.g., the delivery of and reflection on teaching); second, how did they perceive social support and their learning success associated with the implementation of learning activities in different areas of teaching; and third, which types of learning activities and social support were predictive of their perception of learning success? To this end, we will present findings from a cross-sectional survey which was conducted in the academic year 2020/21. A total of 164 pre-service teachers from different universities in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, participated in the online survey after having completed their practical term. The results of the study illustrate heterogeneous experiences concerning the preparation and implementation of remote teaching scenarios during the internship. Despite changes in schools due to the pandemic, pre-service teachers perceived a high level of social support and learning success during their practical term. Own teaching experiences and social support from mentors have proved to be relevant predictors for the perception of learning success.