* * * On the Internet * * *
November 2021 — Volume 25, Number 3
Gina Ugalingan
De La Salle University, Manila
<gina.ugalingandlsu.edu.ph>
Dianne Edjan
De La Salle University, Manila
<dianne_edjandlsu.edu.ph>
Paolo Nino Valdez
De La Salle University, Manila
<paolo.valdezdlsu.edu.ph>
Abstract
The teaching internship is a critical professional development experience for novice teachers to strengthen the necessary competencies in applying pedagogical skills in actual classroom work. However, the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed educational practices to prevent the further spread of the virus. While the shift to remote online learning appeared to be a sensible option, recent studies have indicated a range of challenges faced among teachers and learners. In this paper, we describe the experiences of pre-service teachers who have undertaken an online teaching internship program in the Philippines during the pandemic. Specifically, we argue that while the online teaching internship may be helpful for pre-service teachers in gaining relevant professional development experiences in the new normal, different challenges, specifically (1) interaction in an online environment, (2) lack of self-confidence in teaching and (3) technical difficulties. Despite these challenges, the online teaching internship afforded opportunities such as (1) development of learner autonomy, (2) collaboration with supervisor, and (3) modeling teaching strategies in online learning. Given these insights, there is a need to develop a more calibrated internship program that recognizes the challenges and opportunities afforded by online teaching and learning.
Keywords: COVID-19; English Language Education; Philippine Education; Pre-service Teachers; Teaching Internship
Studies on the impact of COVID-19 in different contexts have documented different adjustments and challenges faced by teachers in continuing teaching and learning (Adedoyin & Sokyan, 2020; Debrah et al., 2021; Donitsa-Schmidt & Ramot, 2020; Tarrayo & Anudin, 2021). The sheer speed and urgency in shifting to online learning during the pandemic posed different challenges for schools. Some of these are upgrading of the existing infrastructure of schools, designing and implementing courses in online platforms, and the availability of material resources readily available to teachers and students (Adedoyin & Sokyan, 2020; Donitsa-Schmidt & Ramot, 2020; Huertas-Abril et al., 2021; Rospigliosi, 2020; van der Spoel et al., 2020). Due to challenges encountered among schools (Valdez & Lapinid, 2015), we argue that traditional professional development programs for teacher preparation are not adequate in dealing with the conditions brought about by the pandemic. Since most countries need to limit the mobility of their citizenry to curb the spread of COVID-19, the dynamics of teaching and learning need to be re-conceptualized as well since face-to-face interaction is not possible. Therefore, professional development programs considering the conditions brought about by the pandemic should take into consideration a nuanced understanding of the dynamics of online teaching and transformative pedagogy (Donitsa-Schmidt & Ramot, 2020).
Similar to other countries, the Philippine educational system had to make significant adjustments in the delivery of educational instruction during the pandemic. Upon the declaration of the Philippine government of an enhanced community quarantine in March 2020, educational institutions were closed and have shifted to an online learning modality. Due to the unequal distribution of material resources in the country, schools that have invested greatly in digital infrastructure and had significant integration of technology use in professional development programs were able to shift quickly to emergency remote learning. However, schools from the public sector for instance have struggled in implementing distance learning programs due to the limited resources available. As a response to difficulties in implementing online programs, a flexible approach to learning was adopted where schools were empowered to formulate their teaching and learning schemes to accommodate diverse student needs (Tarrayo & Anudin, 2021).
In the Philippines, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) requires pre-service teachers (PSTs) to render direct teaching as the culminating stage where they experience teaching in actual classrooms. To provide quality education in the country, a joint memorandum Order no. 39 of 2005 was released by the CHED and the Department of Education (DepEd) wherein guidelines on the deployment of student teachers were specified (Department of Education, 2005). To immerse recruits in the profession, the internship experience allows PSTs to create lessons, implement them in actual classes as well as collaborate with more experienced teachers in developing content knowledge and pedagogical skills for effective teaching (Cobb et al., 2018; Selcuk & Yontem, 2019). This internship is a significant stage involving the application of learning and teaching competencies that PSTs acquired from their teacher education program. This stage demands PSTs to connect theory into practice as they perform different responsibilities of a teacher. The internship is one of the essential aspects of becoming an effective teacher as it provides the opportunity of first-hand experiences of performing the duties and demands of a teacher (Mante-Estacio & Ugalingan, 2018). Managing classrooms, lesson planning, and assessing students are just a few of the everyday tasks of a teacher. These experiences prompt PSTs to reflect on their immediate future career and professional growth. The internship fosters the development of PSTs belief and teacher identity as they acquire a more in-depth understanding of an actual classroom environment. This classroom teaching allows PSTs to recognize the realities of the teacher-student relationship and encourages them to shape and reshape their teaching and learning beliefs (Borg, 2003).
Given these points, this paper examines the experiences of pre-service teachers of English who have undergone the internship experience during the pandemic in the Philippines. We argue that while the internship experience has posed challenges in terms of technical difficulties and confidence in online teaching were encountered, opportunities for collaboration, learner autonomy, and modeling strategies were observed. Moreover, we further argue that since there is a need to enhance professional development programs as an outcome of the pandemic, limitations of online communication, further development of knowledge in the subject matter, and pedagogical skills in online teaching and learning need to be further developed.
Review of Related Literature
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, schools around the world have closed down to prevent the further spread of the virus. As a result, the sheer speed and urgency to shift to online learning tested the existing infrastructure of schools, the ability to use technology in teaching and learning, and material resources readily available to teachers and students (Adedoyin & Sokyan, 2020). Moreover, Kim (2021) observed that the shift to online learning has been driven out of necessity due to the restrictions imposed by the pandemic. In addition, the materials and lessons created because of this shift to online learning have not been crafted to suit maximizing teaching and learning opportunities. Rospigliosi (2020) maintained that the shift to online teaching has accelerated changes in the education sector. Specifically, while e-learning prepares future graduates for global changes brought about by the pandemic, challenges such as creating teaching and learning opportunities to maximize engagement remain to be a problem. Adedoyin and Sokyan (2020) further noted that varying access to technology, socioeconomic factors, intrusions of pets and other people in homes, digital competence, heavy workload, assessment and supervision, compatibility as challenges in implementing online learning. On the other hand, technology and research innovations, as well as socioeconomic interventions, are seen as opportunities. Initially, teachers had difficulty as the shift to remote online teaching prompted adjustments in delivering instruction. The same can be said among students who also faced challenges in coping with their workload (Donitsa-Schmidt & Ramot, 2020).
In the case of the internship of student teachers, studies report that this was a very challenging task for teacher education institutions since the internship was not possible (Cho & Clark-Gareca, 2020). While there is a dearth of investigations documenting the internship during the pandemic, there are several of significance in the present investigation. Debrah et al. (2021) used semi-structured interviews with student teachers from Ghana and found out that online teaching was deemed ineffective due to the lack of infrastructure, cost of internet data, and poor internet connectivity. They also argue the importance of student satisfaction as a factor in course design as well as assessment and evaluation measures are important factors in determining the effectiveness of online learning. In Israel, as part of a recruitment drive during the pandemic, future teachers helped practicing ones in lesson design, and actual teaching. These experiences have contributed to their professional development and have shaped their teacher identity. Also, campus personnel provided learner support through tutorials (Donitsa-Schmidt & Ramot, 2020). In the US, Kamhi-Stein et al. (2020) reported that despite some limitations, a mixed-reality software called Mursion was found to be effective in replacing the face-to-face practicum of pre-service teachers. In Australia, two studies also utilized the use of virtual reality software for classroom simulations. First is Ledger and Fischetti’s (2020) study of 376 PSTs in two universities in Australia. Using a self-efficacy questionnaire, participants shared their experiences of conducting a 10-minute internship session through a virtual simulated classroom software. Results showed an increased self-efficacy and reported both advantages and disadvantages. The second study is Sasaki et al.’s (2020) pilot study of 14 PST’s experiences during their 15 minute-virtual classroom teaching session. The pilot study showed that simulated classroom software is a sustainable option for teacher education especially with the new normal. Lastly, Hadar et al. (2020) added that there is a need for curriculum designers to consider social-emotional competencies training in teacher education programs. Aspects such as stress management techniques, mindfulness, crisis management, and the use of digital platforms for education support were deemed important.
Rationale for the study
Several insights can be identified based on the studies that were reviewed. First, due to the need to reduce the spread of COVID-19, schools needed to shift to remote learning to continue the implementation of teaching and learning programs. However, as the studies point out, varying levels of adequacy in material resources posed a challenge among schools. Second, while schools needed to adopt different schemes to address the diversity of learners, teachers encountered problems in implementing online teaching due to varying levels of familiarity and training in using technology. Third, due to the shift to online teaching, internship programs also needed to adjust to accommodate changes brought about by the pandemic. The present study is aligned with existing conversations on different responses in implementing the internship experience during the pandemic. Specifically, the paper will then seek to address the following research questions:
- What challenges do pre-service teachers encounter during online tutorials?
- In what ways can the online internship experience be helpful to pre-service teachers in coping with the challenges brought about by the pandemic?
Methodology
Given the goals of the investigation, a case study approach employing qualitative methods was deemed appropriate for the method. In this section, the research context, participant profile, data collection, and analysis are described.
Context
As a response to the Philippine Government’s pronouncement on the enhanced community quarantine in March 2020, educational institutions shifted to an online learning modality to deliver instruction. In the case of the teaching internship, adjustments were made to fit the online learning modality implemented in the university. Specifically, pre-service teachers (PSTs) were designated to conduct tutorial sessions. Under the guidance of supervising teachers, the PSTs were required to observe online classes, assist in the design of learning materials, and facilitate tutorials in different reading and writing skills. In total, PSTs completed 54 hours to fulfill the online internship program.
Respondents
For this investigation, 10 pre-service teachers enrolled in the internship course were invited to join as participants. Moreover, the PSTs are students taking up a bachelor’s degree program in English language education. However, only six agreed to continue throughout the conduct of the study. Due to the limitations set by the implementation of community quarantine in the country, it was not possible for them to be assigned to other schools for the internship but were tasked to observe their practicum supervisors conduct online teaching sessions, design instructional activities, render tutorials, and facilitate assessment procedures to the senior high school department of the university. Table 1 presents the profile of the PSTs in terms of age, gender, assigned track, number of tutorial/observation sessions conducted, and tutorial topics covered. As part of ethical practice, the PSTs who agreed to participate in the investigation were oriented on the conduct of the investigation. Specifically, while they were required to submit reflective pieces concerning the internship experience, they were also consulted in the outcome of data analysis to achieve the trustworthiness of the results.
Table 1. Profile of Pre-service Teachers.
Participants | Age | Gender | Assigned Track | No. of Observations | No. of Tutorials | Tutorial Topics |
Student 1 | 21 | F | Humanities & Social Sciences (HUMSS) Accountancy, Business & Management (ABM) |
5 | 4 | Thesis Statement, Outlining, Extended Definition Essay, Problem-Solution Essay, APA Format |
Student 2 | 21 | F | Arts and Designs Track (ADT) | 3 | 3 | Thesis Statement, Extended Definition Essay, APA Format |
Student 3 | 20 | F | Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) | 2 | 3 | Thesis Statement, Extended Definition Essay, APA Format |
Student 4 | 21 | M | Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) | 2 | 4 | Thesis Statement, Extended Definition Essay, APA Format |
Student 5 | 21 | M | Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) | 3 | 4 | Thesis Statement, Outlining, Writing coherence/organization, Extended Definition Essay, APA Format |
Student 6 | 22 | M | Humanities & Social Sciences (HUMSS) Accountancy, Business & Management (ABM) |
5 | 4 | Thesis Statement, Outlining, Extended Definition Essay, Problem-Solution Essay, APA Format |
Procedure
Since the study is qualitative, an interpretive orientation was taken (Barnard, 2014). That is, close examination and categorization of data were sourced from different sources generated by the respondents. As Barnard (2014) emphasized, the interpretive orientation must observe credibility, dependability, and relatability. In the case of the present study, the respondents were consulted as regards the interpretations that resulted from data analysis.
Data Collection
With regard to the data utilized in the study, reflective journal entries and unstructured interviews were the data sources used. Specifically, since each pre-service teacher is required to conduct class observations together with the supervising teacher, specific strategies in online teaching were considered. Moreover, post-teaching reflection pieces were also required after every tutorial session done by the participants. In preparing the reflective pieces for the class observations, the following points were elicited:
- The effective strategies used by the supervising teacher in conducting the online class;
- The limitations in conducting online classes;
- The preparations needed to prepare for online tutorials.
While the same points that were elicited for reflective pieces were collected for the tutorial reflections, additional details such as new learnings after the tutorials were sought from the respondents. In total, 12 reflective pieces from classroom observations and 17 reflections from tutorial sessions were utilized as data. To triangulate the data, interviews were conducted to establish the truthfulness of the reflections provided by the participants. The interviews which lasted between 30 minutes to an hour were used to confirm or refine interpretations made from the classroom observations and reflective pieces. Given that the PSTs have constantly taken part in classroom sessions with their supervisors, the interviews were instructive on changes in beliefs and practices realized by the PSTs during their internship.
Data Analysis
In analyzing the data, codes were identified from the reflective pieces. This was done by identifying repetitive occurrences of keywords across the data. Since open coding was observed, the keywords were classified into codes that were clustered as themes. In keeping with trustworthiness in data analysis, triangulation was done where the participants were consulted in refining the interpretations made in the data. The participants were allowed to elaborate on the contexts that were identified during the classroom observation, specific details in their reflective journals, and interview transcripts. This has led to a more credible interpretation of events across the data.
Results
Based on the analysis of experiences based on the reflection pieces of the pre-service teachers, several themes were identified which can be classified as challenges and opportunities. Since COVID-19 has created restrictions on face-to-face interaction in education, the dependence on unequal material resources readily available to both students and teachers has prompted institutions to innovate the implementation of teaching and learning programs (Cho & Clark-Gareca, 2020). Specifically, interaction in an online environment, lack of self-confidence in teaching, and technical difficulties emerged as challenges during the internship, while development of learner autonomy, collaboration with supervisor, and modeling teaching strategies in online learning were viewed as opportunities for the learners. The succeeding sections elaborate on these challenges and opportunities.
Challenge 1: Interaction in an online environment. During the onset of the pandemic where governments implemented different measures to restrict the movement of the population, the shift to online learning tested educational institutions’ capacities to shift to emergency remote learning (Tarrayo & Anudin, 2021). In terms of class implementation, while the pre-service teachers in the study were familiar with online platforms for teaching, the dynamics of communication was an issue since face-to-face interaction was not possible.
As S1and S3 report, the possible reason as to the lack of participation of some students could have been due to the lack of familiarity among participants which was easily established through face-to-face interaction. According to S1:
S1: When it comes to full-online learning, it is difficult to be in a session wherein no one really knows each other. The learners are not aware of the teacher’s aura as that is hard to pick up from a simple video call.
In addition, S3 highlights the lack of interaction between the teacher and the students because not all learners are willing to switch on their cameras or microphones to contribute to the discussion.
S3: Since their cameras are mostly off, the students’ attitudes and reactions are not seen in real time.
Challenge 2: Lack of self-confidence in teaching. As novice members in the profession, the PSTs have struggled in terms of gaining relevant experience in developing content knowledge and pedagogical skills in handling classes (Cobb et al., 2018). While their respective supervisors have been helpful, self-confidence is an issue among pre-service teachers as students’ reactions may vary greatly during the implementation of a lesson. S3 explains her apprehensions despite preparing for her tutorial:
S3: Despite having experiences in private tutoring, I am not used to having more than 1 student in a tutoring session. Some questions also catch me off guard, so I really have to prepare beforehand to make sure I teach the right things to the students.
Challenge 3: Technical difficulties. Similar to other studies documenting the challenges of conducting classes in an online environment, varying access to technology, lack of material resources, and unfamiliarity with the use of learning platforms (Adedoyin & Sokyan, 2020; Donitsa-Schmidt & Ramot, 2020; Rospigliosi, 2020; van der Spoel et al., 2020) were challenges faced among the PSTs in their conduct of the internship. S2 and S4 cite several problems concerning technical limitations faced by students which proved problematic in learning. S2 narrates how she witnessed these challenges:
S2: Another limitation of online learning is the equipment; for instance, hardware including microphones or stable WiFi connection.
S4 also provides a concrete picture of the state of the country’s internet services that made conducting classes difficult. The instability of internet services and varying access to internet service providers in the Philippines contributes to problems in understanding discussions and prevents students from engaging with their teachers:
S4: Another major limitation is that of the students’ access to reliable internet. It was observed through the recitation of one student that his internet was slow and that he was not able to hear the question of the teacher properly.
Opportunities
While there were challenges faced by the pre-service teachers, the online internship experience that was conducted through tutorials facilitated learning opportunities. Specifically, these are the development of learner autonomy, collaboration with supervisor, and modeling teaching strategies in online learning.
Opportunity 1: Development of Learner Autonomy. When in-class cooperative activities are paired with technology outside of the classroom, it allows PSTs to cover Nation’s (2007) four strands in the ESL setting: meaning-focused input, meaning-focused output, language-focused learning, and fluency development (Han, 2015). While the PSTs claim that technology affords a convenient means in facilitating tutorial sessions, the unfamiliarity among participants may hinder fluid communication among members of the class. However, learners appear to have employed a range of strategies to refine their performance in tasks. For instance, S3 claims that:
S3: They were orderly when asking questions; although they were shy at the first half of the tutorial session, after someone was brave enough to ask the first question, they waited for each other to finish before asking their own question…They were able to utilize the learning tool used; they easily used the google docs file to be able to type in their questions with no problem. It was easy to instruct them through the doc and they were able to adapt well since this was an application they use for their everyday school lives.
S4 on the other hand cites the students’ initiative in seeking help from the PSTs as their lessons progressed.
S4: The students were not afraid to express their concerns. I had anticipated them to be hesitant in asking questions which was evident at the start of the tutorial session. However, they slowly started expressing themselves more, thereby allowing me to help them. I was able to sufficiently answer the students’ questions.
Opportunity 2: Collaboration with Supervisor. Much like face-to-face teaching internships, online tutorials are guided and monitored by experienced teachers. Since PSTs are accompanied by their supervisors during their online tutorials, learning opportunities provided the needed coaching and mentoring that PSTs needed to handle questions from their students (Cobb et al., 2018; Selcuk & Yontem, 2019). Knowing that his supervisor was present during one of his teaching sessions, S5 reports his experience.
S5: The teacher was able to accompany and help me in tutoring the students regarding the problem-solution essay, something I wasn’t well-familiar with.
S6 shares a similar experience as he is aware of his supervisor’s constant reminder and coaching while conducting his tutoring sessions.
S6: Our mentor’s visits also serve as a pitstop to consistently perform well as sometimes I am not performing well.
Opportunity 3: Modeling teaching strategies in online learning. The teaching education curriculum in the Philippines mandates that a professional and experienced teacher must be assigned to mentor PSTs (Department of Education, 2005). As the teaching internship allows PSTs to shape their teaching strategies (Borg, 2003), they are provided a learning environment to observe and emulate the effective teaching practices of their supervisors. S2 shares how her supervisor was utilizing online teaching strategies during one of her classroom observations:
S2: My third observation is an effective teaching strategy from the teacher. At the start of the class, she gave reminders to the students about submissions and requirements. She also gave clarifications and presented sample works from the class to the students so they would be guided accordingly.
Another observation made was that despite the lack of traditional physical interaction, PSTs realized that effective teaching strategies can still be utilized in an online teaching internship. S3 reports how her supervisor mitigated the lack of face-to-face interaction:
S3: With what I observed, the students get to show their reactions in different ways like being able to utilize the use of emojis, chat box or voice chats when necessary. The teacher also used breakout rooms for them to be able to still experience being grouped with their friends, just like face-to-face classes. It’s nice because despite how far everyone is physically, being in that session still felt like an actual classroom setting in some way.
Discussion
Despite the limitations of conducting the traditional teaching internship due to the pandemic, the online internship resulted in PSTs rendering teaching hours to their assigned classes. As they experienced online teaching challenges, they were also able to find opportunities to adjust to the new teaching setup. These experiences allowed the PSTs to connect what they learned in their teacher education program with first-hand experiences of performing the duties and demands of a teacher (Borg, 2003). This online internship fostered a better appreciation and understanding of what transpires in an actual classroom environment.
Based on the findings, Figure 1 illustrates opportunities resulting from the challenges observed in the study. Similar to other studies that document difficulties in adjusting to an online modality (Adedoyin & Sokyan, 2020; Donitsa-Schmidt & Ramot, 2020; Rospigliosi, 2020), technological difficulties appeared to have posed a challenge among the PSTs since teaching needed to be mediated by communication technology platforms. The lack of teaching experience in an actual classroom environment further contributed to their difficulties in navigating the online setting. As a result, the ability and opportunity for PSTs to develop content and pedagogical skills were affected as they needed to adjust in communicating online. Since students were not obligated to switch on cameras during sessions and hesitated to communicate during lessons, PSTs had difficulty developing confidence due to the absence of instant responses present in face-to-face classes. In general, aside from the technological difficulties, the lack of clear and continuous interaction between the students and the PSTs affected the fluidity of the discussion, which hindered PSTs from gauging their students’ ability to understand what they were teaching.
However, while the aforementioned challenges appear to affect both students and teachers, learners have developed strategies to increase their engagement with the PSTs. Specifically, the use of cloud-based platforms/apps (such as Google Docs) or chat features in Zoom have allowed them to participate in activities with their fellow students and teachers. Although the PSTs report hesitation among learners to participate in synchronous sessions, students have found other ways to participate. In addition, the supervisor’s role has been helpful as they modeled strategies and provided input in facilitating online teaching. The PSTs were able to observe their supervisors with the different online teaching strategies which they found effective as they also applied these during their tutorial sessions.
Furthermore, the shift to online learning due to COVID-19 has created unprecedented challenges for educators and students alike as it changed the facilitation of learning as it is now mediated through technology. However, this has also opened opportunities as certain alternatives have been pursued to continue the implementation of teaching and learning programs (Cho & Clark-Gareca, 2020). In the case of the online internship, challenges were experienced by PSTs in terms of actual teaching. Specifically, since continuous teaching and learning sessions are mediated through technology, existing data privacy policies have prevented PSTs to maximize engagement with learners since most students opted to switch off their cameras and mostly communicated through the chat function of the Zoom meeting room. Since engagement is critical to developing pedagogical competence (Rospigliosi, 2020), the absence of face-to-face interaction between PSTs and students obfuscates the PSTs’ ability to develop automaticity in sustaining interaction with learners. As such, the lack of sustained interaction has affected their confidence in teaching which is crucial in developing pedagogical competence. In addition, since the PSTs were also affected materially by the lack of appropriate equipment, their ability to focus on essential teaching-related activities has divided their attention (Adedoyin & Sokyan, 2020; Donitsa-Schmidt & Ramot, 2020).
However, while these challenges have significantly affected the PSTs facilitation of practice teaching, their supervisors have not only provided meaningful input by modeling lessons for PSTs, and team teaching but also provided advice and suggestions for improvement. The PSTs were able to receive mentoring and feedback after each tutorial for further improvement. As a means of socio-emotional support, these practices have helped create a level of familiarity for the PSTs in eventually handling actual classes (Hadar et al., 2020). The extent of support has also translated into meaningful practice for the PSTs as tried out varied strategies in online teaching.
Moreover, students have used the technology resources available to them in coping with the academic demands of their course. Specifically, the collaborative nature of platforms such as Google Docs or Zoom meeting rooms has afforded autonomous learning. In addition, while there were limited opportunities for engagement, the PSTs together with their supervisors have managed to maximize learning through the initiative of some learners who reached out to pose questions, seek clarifications, and appeal for assistance. These instances prove that the collaborative nature of online teaching (Donitsa-Schmidt & Ramot, 2020) where all participants (teachers, PSTs, and students) take an active role in negotiating learning inputs.
Conclusions and Recommendations
While the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unprecedented challenges in teaching and learning, educational institutions have pursued interesting strategies in implementing the internship experience for pre-service teachers. Considering that educational activities during these times require exploring possibilities on unfamiliar territory, this investigation shows that technical difficulties, adjustments in online communication, and lack of content knowledge and pedagogical skills appear to be relevant challenges for PSTs in implementing lessons in an online environment. However, opportunities for collaboration with experienced teachers, developing learner autonomy, and modeling teaching strategies appear to help PSTs cope with these new teaching conditions.
Given the new dynamics of teaching and learning in these challenging times, there are several directions that researchers and practitioners can pursue. First, since the internship experience is critical in developing teaching competence, the interaction between supervisors and PSTs needs to be further explored to refine competencies in implementing lessons in this new environment. Second, since there is tension between developing effective feedback strategies through online classroom interaction and data privacy, policies and practices need to be refined to maximize learning opportunities for students while maintaining a careful balance between privacy and authentic engagement as technology mediates interaction. Lastly, since the material conditions of schools figure prominently in implementing online classes, re-examining the internship experience raises significant questions on the role of the program in the PSTs professional development. Specifically, identifying different ways on how institutions implement the internship program for PSTs during the pandemic can provide better insights on refining the core competencies needed for supervision in these times. While the issues raised in the study may not be easily resolved, these can be taken into consideration in recalibrating the teacher education curriculum in these post-pandemic times.
About the Authors
Gina Ugalingan is a faculty of the Department of English and Applied Linguistics, De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines. She is also taking up a doctorate in Applied Linguistics at the same university. Some of her research interests include teacher identity, teacher education, multimodality and linguistic landscapes.
Dianne Edjan is a graduate of Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in English of De La Salle University, Manila Philippines. She is currently a research scholar at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Japan.
Paolo Nino Valdez, is currently an Associate Professor and Graduate Program Coordinator of the Department of English and Applied Linguistics, De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines. In 2017, he was a visiting scholar in the English language and literature group of the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Aside from Paper Presentations in Local and International Conferences, his publications have appeared in Discourse, Context and Media, Asia Pacific Education Researcher, Journal of AsiaTEFL, Malaysian Journal of Learning and Instruction, and Reflective practice. His research interests are in the areas of linguistic landscapes, teacher beliefs, critical pedagogy and contemporary sociolinguistics.
Acknowledgment
The authors are grateful for the helpful feedback of two anonymous reviewers and the journal’s section editors, Mark Feng Teng and Omran Akasha. We also thank Leif Garinto for his help in the preparation of the manuscript.
To cite this article
Ugalingan, G., Edjan, D., & Valdez, P.N. (2021). Online internship experiences among pre-service ESL teachers in the Philippines: Challenges and opportunities. Teaching English as a Second Language Electronic Journal (TESL-EJ), 25(3). https://tesl-ej.org/pdf/ej99/int.pdf
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