Exploring the Pre-Service Teachers Experiences in Practice Teaching During Pandemic

The education system had shifted from face-to-face to online modality as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This shift in the educational paradigm also affected pre-service teachers in the delivery of their practice teaching. This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of pre-service teachers in their practice teaching. Data were gathered from four student teachers during the focus group discussion using open-ended semi-structured questions. The gathered data were transcribed and analyzed using active analysis. Three themes were developed in the study; 1) Problems encountered by student teachers during practice teaching, 2) Actions taken to solve problems encountered, and 3) Reflections based on their practice teaching experiences. It is noted that the guidance of their respective cooperating teachers is necessary to bridge the gap between the expectations of the practice teachers and practice teaching as preparation for a real-world teaching career. Moreover, it necessitates support from the administration to amplify the results of pre-service students’ experiences. It is recommended the conduct exit assessments among the pre-service teachers on their experiences to further enhance programs to create more meaningful practice teaching experiences among future pre-service teachers. Keywords: Phenomenology, Practice Teaching, Pre-service Teachers, Philippines