Reimagining Human Connections During the Pandemic-Forced Remote Student Teaching Experiences

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 6
  In Roundtable Session: Teachers' Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The pandemic-forced massive school closures and the abrupt transition to remote instruction posed various challenges to initial teacher education programs and altered student teaching experiences. This study aimed to examine the impact of the pandemic on the student teaching experiences of preservice teachers in Fall 2020 and how they maintain human connections with their students. Survey data revealed the varied challenges that preservice teachers, including student engagement, formative assessment, and student-teacher connections, when their students had become ‘invisible’ by turning off their cameras during the remote instruction. The results urge educators to develop agility and reimagine human connections to best support diverse students, incorporating principles of care and prioritizing humanizing practices to empower students in times of disruption and opportunity.

Author

• Minsun Shin, Montclair State University