Challenges and Support for Pre-service Teachers’ Virtual Teaching and Practicums: Implications for Bahamian Educational Systems

Abstract

Teacher education programmes, nationally and internationally, are unique both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Specifically, in the Bahamian educational system, they are designed to produce certified K-12 teachers who demonstrate academic and professional excellence in a variety of subject areas. These programmes incorporate a theoretical component and a culminating practical experience that requires pre-service teachers to be evaluated on the quality of their teaching. Normally the culminating experience has been completed in the traditional face-to-face setting. However, the onset of COVID-19 resulted in an immediate imposition of a virtual teaching practicum. This integrated literature review explores the challenges pre-service teachers faced and the support systems they needed during a virtual teaching practicum and addresses implications for practice in a Bahamian setting. 148 Y. Hunter-Johnson et al. Pre-service Teachers’ Virtual Teaching and Practicums. International Journal of Bahamian Studies Vol. 27 (2021) Introduction Teacher education programmes globally are tasked with the responsibility for producing quality teachers to meet the demands of the K-12 educational system. The demands for teacher education programmes vary depending on grade level, content area, and geographical location. However, there is one commonality: teacher education programmes should effectively connect theory and practice. Over the years, a variety of models have been utilized by teacher preparation programmes in the development of K-12 teachers. Traditional teacher preparation and certification programmes require candidates to complete university courses prior to teaching. Other programmes provide an alternative route through certification programmes, in which pre-service teachers begin teaching before completing all certification requirements (Smithers & Bungey, 2017). Despite the teacher preparation programme option, Hollins and Warner (2021) stated it is imperative that the teacher education programme is coherent with all course work and clinical experiences based on a vision. Hence, courses are connected to both practice and theory as well as another key component early in the programme—field-based experiences (Yang