From disruption to ‘Comfort-Zoom’ routine: preservice teachers’ perspectives on remote learning during the Corona year

ABSTRACT The Corona pandemic caused ‘disruption’ in the world of higher education and required a transition to emergency remote teaching (ERT). Lecturers and students experienced disruption in the familiar processes of teaching and learning. Yet, about a year after the outbreak of the pandemic, a routine of remote teaching was reached. The study examines the perspectives of students at a teacher training college in northern Israel regarding their satisfaction with the remote learning during that year. The findings indicate challenges and successes as well as better academic preparedness for the second semester. A significant increase in the students’ satisfaction occurred in all indices examined. A strong connection was found between the students’ emotions and coping with remote learning and their appreciation of the lecturers’ and the college’s functioning. During the second semester, the students reported greater motivation to study, higher concentration, greater participation in lessons, greater interest in the studied material, and fewer distractions than in the first semester. The students adapted, participated more and felt greater engagement with their studies, and hence, their satisfaction with remote learning increased. These insights are valuable when dealing with education, remote teaching in general, and designing teaching and learning in higher education in particular.