

































Educational Renaissance Vol. 9  (2020)

Suppor t ing Teacher  Candidat es Dur ing COVID-19: 
Lessons Learned

Char lene At k ins, PhD. University of Central Missouri

     email: catkins@ucmo.edu

Angela Danley, EdD. University of Central Missouri

     email: danley@ucmo.edu

Case Story

When the 2020 spring semester started in January, 
instructors at the University of Central Missouri 
were prepared to continue delivering instruction in 
a face to face setting. Additionally, the supervised 
clinical practicum for elementary and early 
childhood education majors had been coordinated 
and confirmed with eight school districts. Teacher 
candidates (TCs) were entering their final semester 
of undergraduate coursework, including 
embedded clinical practicums, in preparation of 
the subsequent fall student teaching assignment. 
Face to face interactions are extremely valuable 
when preparing TCs for the student teaching 
experience. This in-person contact allows course 
instructors and practicum supervisors 
opportunities to support student growth while 
providing TCs opportunities to build the 
knowledge and confidence necessary for success 
in the student teaching placement to follow 
(Collopy & Arnold, 2009). Each TC, at this 

institution, was scheduled to complete two, seven 
to eight-week, clinical practicum experiences in a 
k-12 school building. TCs were prepared to work 
with pre-determined cooperating teachers in early 
childhood and elementary classrooms two full 
days each week. The practicum allows the TCs to 
build relationships with in-service teachers and 
elementary students while gaining a strong 
understanding of the school community?s culture 
by working side by side with two cooperating 
teachers. One of these two practicum placements 
later becomes the student teaching placement for 
the following semester. The clinical practicum is a 
critical component of the educator preparation 
program because it allows TCs the opportunity to 
apply what they have learned in their 
undergraduate courses to the elementary and 
early childhood classrooms (Symons et al., 2020). 
By mid-March, approximately eight weeks into the 
semester, the TCs at this Missouri university were 

Abst ract  

This article provides the personal account of two professors who reflect on the challenges of teacher 
education preparation due to COVID-19.  They discuss the swift transition from face to face instruction 
to virtual learning and teaching including inequities faculty and teacher candidates faced during 
remote learning, obstacles surrounding state requirements for practicums and certification along with 
the social emotional impact.  Suggestions for moving forward, based on the lessons learned, include 
additional supports for teacher candidates.  As this was a new experience faced by teacher education 
programs in the United States, relevant literature is limited. 

mailto:catkins@ucmo.edu
mailto:danley@ucmo.edu


ATKINS & DANLEY| SUPPORTING TEACHER CANDIDATES DURING COVID-19

already in a comfortable routine, completing 
thirteen credit hours of face to face undergraduate 
coursework while working side by side with their 
cooperating teacher in the first 8- week placement. 
TCs were actively engaged with university 
instructors completing assignments in 
Communication Arts Integration, Curriculum 
Design and Assessment in Mathematics, 
Curriculum and Assessment, and Classroom 
Management courses. During the first 8-week 
placement, TCs developed and implemented 
required lessons receiving feedback from both 
their cooperating teacher and university 
instructor. The TCs had the opportunity to conduct 
a Number Talk and implement a Launch, Explore, 
Summarize lesson for their Curriculum Design and 
Assessment in Mathematics course along with a 
vocabulary mini lesson and comprehension lesson 
for Communication Arts Integration. TCs were 
eager to begin their second placement after spring 
break and understood the expectations for 
completing a writing lesson to analyze authentic 
student work in Communication Arts Integration, a 
science or social studies lesson in Curriculum and 
Assessment, and additional mathematics lessons 
for Curriculum Design and Assessment in 
Mathematics. TCs also understood the rigor and 
relevance surrounding each of these field 
embedded assignments. All of this came to a halt 
in mid-March 2020 as they entered their spring 
break week. 

On March 16, 2020, TCs received notification that 
clinical practicums were being canceled for the 
remainder of the spring semester. Partner school 
districts were also notified of this, while they too 
were facing cancelations due to the circumstances 
the nation was experiencing with COVID-19. 
Considering the health of our students, 
instructors, classroom students, and field 
experience supervisors, senior university 
administrators made the decision to end all field 
experiences, regardless of whether our partner 
districts returned to face-to-face classrooms. TCs 
were also notified that their undergraduate 
education classes would all be delivered 
completely online for the remainder of the 

semester. University instructors were provided 
one week following spring break to transition to a 
virtual teaching and learning format. Instructors 
and TCs had access to Blackboard, a learning 
management system, and access to Zoom, a 
virtual meeting host, to make the transition easier 
despite other challenges. 

In the weeks that followed, the authors took 
advantage of opportunities to reflect on the online 
delivery of instruction, challenges that instructors 
and TCs faced while attempting to replicate the 
practicum experience, and the need to collaborate 
with other instructors to provide meaningful 
experiences preparing TCs for virtual teaching and 
learning in the future. This time also brought to 
light the need for additional resources for TCs 
along with training in culturally responsive 
teaching and trauma informed care.

Cont ext  of  t he Challenges Due t o COVID-19

Across the nation, teacher education programs 
were faced with challenges similar to the 
challenges school districts faced with transitioning 
to a virtual learning environment. Transitioning a 
traditionally face to face class to an online 
platform, in a very short time frame, created a 
state of distress for both TCs and instructors. 
Anxiety was heightened due to the unknown of 
what the remainder of the semester would look 
like before heading into student teaching in fall 
2020. This was supported by the thoughts of 
Delamarter and Ewart (2020), ?For many of our 
candidates, the normal fears and anxieties that 
surround student teaching have been magnified to 
the point of that even our most promising student 
teachers feel overwhelmed and panicked? (p.1).

Just as Delmarter and Ewart (2020) pointed out in 
their article, instructors of teacher education 
programs were faced with how to address the TCs? 
fears and anxieties in a way that would still afford 
opportunities to facilitate their growth. Students 
expressed anxieties over completion of their 
education program, meeting state required 
observation hours, their personal health, struggles 
with online learning and successful course 

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ATKINS & DANLEY| SUPPORTING TEACHER CANDIDATES DURING COVID-19

completion, and staying connected with 
instructors and peers. Becoming a teacher 
requires being flexible and responding to 
unfamiliar situations, such as the above 
mentioned anxieties. Though being faced with 
these situations can help facilitate personal and 
pedagogical growth (Christie et al., 2015; Fulford, 
2016), the challenges educators faced due to 
COVID-19 also lead to panic, exhaustion, and 
virtual conferencing fatigue (Skylar, 2020). The 
nation?s teachers scrambled to manage new 
challenges when rushed to provide virtual learning 
(Gewartz, 2020). 

Challenges Faced Dur ing t he Ear ly St ages of  t he 
Pandem ic

In this article, two professors of education at the 
University of Central Missouri provide an overview 
on the impact of COVID-19 which includes 
discussion of the obstacles related to moving to 
virtual learning and replacing the valuable clinical 
practicum. Challenges focused on modifications 
made for field embedded lessons, inequity issues 
faced by faculty and TCs, state requirements for 
education preparation, and the social emotional 
impacts of unexpectedly moving to distance 
education formats. Additionally, the authors 
provide suggestions for moving forward during the 
pandemic or in the event of any emergency which 
results in virtual learning and teaching. 

Modifications to Field Embedded Lessons

The authors were charged with not only adapting 
face to face cooperative learning structures to 
online delivery, but with designing activities to 
replicate the experiential learning that takes place 
in the elementary and early childhood classroom 
during the clinical practicum. Both authors share 
examples of adjustments made to course 
curriculum and implementation strategies along 
with their personal challenges.  The authors also 
share observations of student morale as a result of 
the quick transition to virtual learning, in the 
following paragraphs.

In the Curriculum Design and Assessment in 
Mathematics course, students were initially 

required to develop and teach a three-phase 
mathematics lesson. This expectation was 
designed to provide students the opportunity to 
not only develop a high-quality lesson involving a 
launch, exploration and summary, but also to 
experience teaching this lesson to elementary 
students. Teaching the lesson would allow the TCs 
to practice and strengthen their instructional skills 
while providing an opportunity for the cooperating 
teacher to observe and provide feedback. TCs 
would also have been able to analyze the student 
work collected to practice their assessment skills. 
In place of this practicum expectation, TCs were 
asked to watch a quality classroom teacher 
implement a mathematics lesson via video and to 
complete an observation, including an analysis 
and reflection, of this lesson. Though the TCs were 
still able to think critically about the lesson design 
and implementation, they were not able to 
experience first-hand the interaction with 
elementary and early childhood students nor were 
they able to assess student work from this 
particular task or receive feedback from, their 
cooperating teachers, on instructional strategies 
employed.

For the Communication Arts Integration course, 
TCs were to develop a writing lesson to teach in 
their second placement. TCs would then take the 
writing samples collected and analyze the class set 
of writing. TCs were to also develop a rubric, create 
instructional strategies and activities on moving 
the students forward with their writing. This 
project provides the TCs the opportunity to 
analyze data and make informed instructional 
decisions. Due to the cancellation of the practicum 
experience, an alternative assignment connected 
to the original writing lesson was given. TCs were 
given a selection of first grade samples to analyze 
on either narrative, informational, or opinion 
writing. The TCs were asked to develop a rubric to 
score the samples and make informed 
instructional decisions based on the results. This 
alternative assignment provided the TCs the 
opportunity to experience the work they would 
have done in the classroom, but they were not 
afforded the opportunity to learn from the 

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ATKINS & DANLEY| SUPPORTING TEACHER CANDIDATES DURING COVID-19

implementation phase and observation feedback.

The authors found it challenging to develop 
alternative lessons, tasks and assignments given 
the short time frame of moving to virtual 
instruction.  This required the authors to create 
new scoring rubrics, seek appropriate videos and 
writing samples, modify the course schedule 
including due dates of assignments, plan and 
schedule virtual class meetings, and develop 
online instructional materials. These challenges 
have served as unique learning experiences for 
both students and instructors.  Even though the 
authors were able to develop appropriate and 
successful alternative assignments, the challenge 
of providing field experiences remains a concern.  
Students? anxieties appeared to lessen as more 
virtual class meetings occurred.  Even though 
practicum requirements had been waived, 
students did express disappointment surrounding 
the lack of in-person field experience with 
elementary and early childhood students and 
mentor teachers. Additionally, students shared 
that they missed being able to interact with 
instructors and peers in-person.  

Inequities in TCs Experience with Virtual Learning

Prior to the transition to distance learning, TCs 
were in a routine to attend face to face classes one 
day a week from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and were 
placed in the elementary and early childhood 
classrooms completing their clinical practicum two 
full days a week. While TCs were in the elementary 
and early childhood classrooms, they worked 
side-by-side with a mentoring teacher. This 
provided opportunities for co-teaching and 
implementing course required lessons while 
receiving immediate feedback from both the 
mentoring teacher and the university supervisor.  
This also provided university supervisors first-hand 
experience of TCs dispositions.  As public school 
districts began to close, across the state of 
Missouri, TCs were informed teaching and learning 
would take place virtually for the remainder of the 
spring semester. Some university instructors held 
synchronous online courses while others offered 
asynchronous formats. In place of weekly face to 

face course meetings for both Communication 
Arts Integration and Curriculum Design and 
Assessment in Mathematics, students began 
attending weekly synchronous virtual class 
meetings. All TCs had the means to access the 
learning management system, Blackboard. 
However, TCs had limited exposure to best 
practices in educational technology built-in to their 
program of study. Students previously completed a 
one-credit hour technology course, which focused 
on tools and resources but did not include other 
valuable elements of distance education. This 
course allowed students many opportunities to 
learn about and practice using educational 
applications with a focus on integrating technology 
in a face to face course. A one-credit hour course 
does not allow time devoted to additional areas of 
importance such as etiquette and equity, course 
development, and online organization.

Out of concern for student access, the university 
provided hot spots and devices, such as laptops 
and iPads, for students who did not have adequate 
equipment available. However, several students 
were unable to attend virtual course meetings as a 
result of limited access to high-speed internet. TCs 
were also accustomed to weekly face to face 
interactions with peers and instructors. These 
interactions were an integral part of learning 
opportunities. When moved to virtual learning, 
there was litt le time to prepare faculty or students 
on how to maintain those established 
relationships. Some faculty had prior experience in 
delivering instruction online and hosting virtual 
conferences, while others lacked the level of 
experience and confidence of their colleagues. 
There were some faculty who previously 
completed the university?s mandatory training for 
delivering online instruction, yet others had not 
yet had the opportunity to do so. Faculty who 
participated in the Quality Matters (QM) training 
and/or the Association of College and University 
Educators (ACUE) training volunteered to be a 
point of contact for colleagues who requested 
assistance with delivery of instruction and 
troubleshooting (2020). QM, a non-profit quality 
assurance organization, instills a culture focused 

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ATKINS & DANLEY| SUPPORTING TEACHER CANDIDATES DURING COVID-19

on effective delivery of instruction (Association of 
College and University Educators, 2020). ACUE 
focuses on effective teaching practices centered 
on building a community of learners to ensure 
each student receives a meaningful educational 
experience. According to Heitner and Jennings 
(2016), ?a lack of understanding about culturally 
responsive issues and practices to meet the needs 
and expectations of online learners can lead to 
miscommunication, mistrust, poor guidance, 
frustration, attrit ion, and delayed program 
completion? (p. 2). Inequities in online instruction 
occur when only a few faculty are trained and 
when students are not exposed to what it means 
to be in a distance education setting. Inadequate 
accessibility to necessary tools and equipment 
along with limited training creates barriers for 
both students and faculty.

Practicum Experiences and State Certification 
Requirements

Requirements of the state department of 
education are critical components of teacher 
preparation programs, to ensure each TC obtains 
certification after successful completion of student 
teaching and required state-level assessments. In 
the state of Missouri, mid-level TCs are expected to 
have a minimum of 45 clock hours of practicum 
experience (Missouri Department of Elementary 
and Secondary Education, 2014). Additionally, the 
Missouri Department of Elementary and 
Secondary Education (2020) requires successful 
completion of the Missouri Content Assessment 
(MOCA). TCs must score a 220 on the 100 - 300 
scale as well as score 42 points on the Missouri 
Educator Evaluation System (MEES). 

 On April 7, 2020, the Missouri state governor 
responded to the challenges universities were 
facing regarding practicum experiences and TC 
certification. The governor issued a waiver on 
practicum experiences, student teaching, and 
qualifying scores for the state and educator 
evaluation system. This eliminated some students? 
level of apprehension for the 2020 spring 
semester, but still left concern for the fall 2020 
semester. 

Social Emotional Impact

While students and instructors struggled to 
overcome the challenges surrounding field 
embedded lessons, inequity issues, and state 
certification requirements, it became clear that 
some students and instructors were also 
struggling with the social and emotional impact of 
business closures and social distancing guidelines. 
Though many of our students and instructors 
regularly participated in social media activities 
prior to the pandemic, many more became 
frequent users of platforms such as Facebook, 
Instagram, and Twitter during the period of 
isolation. To combat the symptoms of depression 
and inspire good mental health and mindful 
practices, faculty at this university came together 
to develop engaging and motivating activities for 
students and instructors. For example, many 
instructors created short video clips, shared via 
social media, to send positive messages for all 
education majors reminding them that we were all 
in this situation together and recommending 
students take advantage of the unexpected 
opportunity to get outdoors, practice self-care, 
start a new hobby, and increase communications 
with instructors, classmates, friends and family. 
One of the authors has shared her personal video 
for TCs and faculty, which can be accessed via 
YouTube. TCs were encouraged to build team 
videos and challenge students of other programs 
to do the same. Mindful messages from the 
trauma informed care team were sent daily to 
encourage positive thinking and promote active 
communication. Instructors reached out to their 
students more frequently and at new levels to 
promote student engagement with classmates and 
teachers. One example of a mindful message 
shared with students and faculty was the 
suggestion of keeping a weekly gratitude journal.  
Students and faculty received the following 
mindful message:  At the end of each day this 
week, write down a few things that you appreciate. 
This could be actual things, like your favorite 
sneakers. Or it could be something that happened, 
or a place where you felt comfortable, or someone 
who was nice to you.  Students responded with 

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ATKINS & DANLEY| SUPPORTING TEACHER CANDIDATES DURING COVID-19

positive comments stating that they enjoyed the 
mindful messages so these continued into the 
2020 summer and fall semesters.

Sum m ary of  t he Challenges

Initially, students and faculty were faced with 
multiple unexpected challenges and obstacles 
including removal from clinical practicums, 
alterations to field embedded lessons, inequity 
issues, uncertain impacts on state requirements 
for certification, and the emotional waves of these 
challenges along with the additional anxiety 
created by social distancing practices. Eventually, 
the challenges mentioned above and identified 
obstacles became problem-solving opportunities 
and learning experiences. Faculty learned new 
instructional strategies for virtual teaching while 
students developed online learning skills. TCs 
developed a deeper understanding for trials 
classroom teachers might face and the need to be 
flexible and remain positive even in extremely 
difficult situations. Instructors also identified areas 
of strengths and weaknesses in the current 
educator preparation program. The value of 
educational technology and distance education 
platforms came to light for many who thought 
they would never encounter such a situation. The 
importance of quality communication, 
collaboration and cooperation at all levels was 
amplified during this unprecedented time. 

Moving Forward

Reflecting on this sudden shift in education 
allowed instructors an opportunity to identify 
areas of strengths and weaknesses in the current 
educator preparation program. Specifically, areas 
that need to be improved in order to better 
prepare TCs for a smooth transition to virtual 
teaching and learning in the event this type of 
situation should reoccur. Areas to focus on include 
best practices in virtual learning and teaching, 
resources for TCs to use in their own learning and 
future teaching, substitutions for practicum 
experiences, culturally responsive teaching in a 
virtual learning format, and trauma informed care. 
Focusing on these areas will ensure a successful 

experience for TCs in the distance education 
environment. The authors elaborate on these 
specific areas in the following sections.

Virtual Learning and Teaching Module

One area immediately identified was the lack of 
distance education preparation for virtual teaching 
and learning environments. This gap in student 
knowledge and skills will be addressed by the 
development and implementation of a principles 
of virtual teaching and learning module. This 
module was created by a task force composed of 
university professors of educational technology 
and instructors of elementary education courses. 
Content of this learning module includes topics 
related to ethics, etiquette, and equity, along with 
curriculum design and implementation, 
assessment strategies, communication, 
organization and time management, and tips for 
learning as an online student. Module lessons 
include short videos, informational text, web-links, 
and self-assessments. The module will be available 
to TCs as a Blackboard Community so that TCs will 
be able to complete the module at their own pace. 
Once students have successfully completed each 
section of this module, they will earn a completion 
badge.  Once all badges are earned, students will 
receive an e-certificate.  This certificate will be 
included as an additional requirement to be met 
before approval to student teach is granted.  This 
learning module will be beneficial for TCs 
delivering online instruction to K-12 students 
during practicums and student teaching 
experiences. It will also serve to prepare TCs as 
online students of distance education, should they 
return to an online classroom in the future.

 This module also serves as a stepping stone for 
the later development of a full course on distance 
education. Due to the short time between the end 
of the spring semester and the beginning of the 
fall semester, along with the current uncertainty of 
what the fall semester may bring, a module was 
preferred to a full course creation at this time. A 
full course creation must be vetted through the 
university curriculum process which can take up to 
one year, however a learning module can begin to 

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ATKINS & DANLEY| SUPPORTING TEACHER CANDIDATES DURING COVID-19

bridge the gaps while a full course is in the 
development phase.

Resources for Teacher Candidates

When TCs transitioned to online learning, the need 
for equipment and resources increased. Providing 
a variety of resources such as technology tools and 
recommendations for teaching online became 
imperative. In preparation of this or any similar 
situation happening again, a resource document 
for technology support was developed for TCs with 
information on how to obtain a laptop and 
hotspot.  As some TCs will be returning to 
in-person practicums, the College of Education will 
be providing additional equipment, such as iPads, 
Swivls, and headsets, for TCs who will need to live 
stream their lessons or record lessons for their 
university supervisors to evaluate.  This 
informational document will be sent to the TCs in a 
timely and efficient manner to make the transition 
to virtual learning as smooth as possible.  
Information regarding the availability of 
equipment will also be shared with student 
teachers and their university supervisors during 
virtual team meetings.   Additionally, as a future 
teacher, TCs will need simple and clear access to 
information on the state?s certification and 
assessment requirements. TCs will need to have a 
clear understanding of changes in state exam 
policies and of any waivers put in place. 

Substitutions for Practicum Experience

Practicum experiences are a vital part of the 
teacher education preparation program. When 
K-12 schools were canceled across the region, 
cooperating teachers were unprepared to best 
serve TCs in their practicum experience. It is 
imperative for instructors at all levels to 
collaborate and communicate regarding resources 
available, such as model teaching videos for TCs to 
continue to reflect on teaching practices. 
Additionally, collaborating with district 
administrators on virtual observation 
opportunities is also needed to ensure proper 
protocol is put into place to allow this type of 
online field experience. In a study conducted by 

Karchmer-Klein (2007), results indicated the virtual 
practicum experience created opportunities to 
focus on the instructional issues. However, 
Karchmer-Klein stated that the virtual practicum 
experience does not replace time in the classroom, 
but does compliment a traditional teacher 
education program. When considering virtual 
practicum experiences in the future, the following 
questions Karchmer-Klein (2007) addressed in her 
study can be used:   

How does a virtual practicum create 
opportunities to learn ways to manage 
technology integration in the classroom? How 
does a virtual practicum create opportunities 
to learn ways to integrate technology into 
literacy instruction? How does a shared 
practicum experience allow preservice teachers 
to engage in class discussions and 
problem-solve issues confronted in their host 
classrooms? ( p. 122)

Having an alternative plan for practicum 
experiences means planning ahead and working 
with school partnerships which will ensure a 
successful experience for all involved. Additionally, 
it will be imperative to work with the state 
education department on any changes made to 
teacher certification requirements. 

Culturally Responsive Teaching in a Virtual Learning 
Format

Due to the unique characteristics each student and 
instructor brings to the course, a virtual classroom 
can present challenges that can impact the efficacy 
of teaching and student learning (Heitner & 
Jennings, 2016). The need to provide faculty 
professional development on culturally responsive 
teaching practices is necessary to make the online 
experience successful for all participants. 
Providing faculty professional development on the 
importance of maintaining learning partnerships is 
imperative so students feel valued. Mahmood 
(2020) stated, ?Building trusting learning 
relationships is a cornerstone of culturally 
responsive instruction? (para 7). 

Hammond (2015) suggests making lessons which 

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ATKINS & DANLEY| SUPPORTING TEACHER CANDIDATES DURING COVID-19

involve social interaction and utilizing gamified 
opportunities supports communal learning. 
Heitner and Jennings (2016) affirmed, ?Faculty who 
teach online who understand and value culturally 
responsive pedagogy and have the knowledge and 
skills to implement best practices in meeting the 
needs of diverse learners will enhance both 
teaching and learning? (p. 68). Providing faculty the 
opportunity to engage in critical conversations 
centered around culturally responsive teaching 
would allow for an online learning experience 
supportive of all students.  This particular area of 
challenge opens the door for additional action 
research.

Trauma Informed Care

It is necessary for trauma informed care resources 
to be in place whether or not classes meet 
in-person or virtually. Pandemics, like COVID-19, 
can trigger post traumatic events or anxiety. 
Processing prolonged stress and trauma can be 
physically and emotionally demanding (Brewin, 
2003). Having a trauma informed care team at the 
university level who have received training in 
trauma and stress would be a valuable resource 
for faculty and students. Faculty need to be 
supported and have a strong understanding of the 
behaviors that may be associated with trauma as 
outlined by Hoch et al. (2015), which include the 
following: 

- Difficulty focusing, attending, retaining, and 
recalling;

- Tendency to miss a lot of classes;
- Challenges with emotional regulation;
- Fear of taking risks;
- Anxiety about deadlines, exams, group 

work, or public speaking ;
- Anger, helplessness, or dissociation when 

stressed ;
- Withdrawal and isolation;
- Involvement in unhealthy relationships.

Davidson (n.d) stated, ?Colleges are systems, and 
creating a trauma-informed climate requires the 
entire campus community...to deepen its shared 
understanding of trauma?s impacts on learning 

and agree to a campus wide approach? (p. 14). 
Davidson also affirmed that all members of the 
campus community need to collaborate and share 
responsibility in the academic, physical, emotional, 
and social well-being of each student. Additionally, 
adopting strategies on how to promote 
mindfulness is also imperative for faculty to 
engage students when providing instruction. 
Participating in trauma informed care and 
mindfulness training is crucial for faculty 
well-being and to supporting each student across 
the campus. Providing this type of resource and 
support will also help prepare TCs to be trauma 
informed as a future classroom teacher. 

Next  St eps

The authors? personal accounts have inspired the 
opportunity to engage in research centered 
around the impact of COVID-19 on teacher 
education. Creating a survey for teacher 
candidates to complete on virtual learning is worth 
considering. Engaging TCs in a focus group to 
gather their perceptions on their preparedness to 
student teach would also provide the teacher 
education program areas to improve in the event if 
another pandemic occurs. Additionally, a survey 
given to faculty in teacher education programs on 
resources for virtual learning and teaching would 
also be of value in order to create a strong and 
meaningful teacher education program that can 
be moved to online in the event we are unable to 
continue face to face teaching and learning 
environments.

Conclusion

At the beginning of 2020, public schools and 
universities were in session and teacher education 
programs were providing practicum experiences to 
prepare TCs for the classroom. This came to a halt 
in March 2020 as the spread of COVID-19 entered 
our state?s institutions of education. Universities 
and k-12 schools were forced to eliminate face to 
face contact, leaving teacher education programs 
to rethink how field experiences could continue 
and what substitutions might support TCs during 
the transition. Reflecting on current practices and 

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ATKINS & DANLEY| SUPPORTING TEACHER CANDIDATES DURING COVID-19

planning ahead in the event TCs are placed in 
virtual learning and teaching experiences will 
ensure TCs are given the instruction and support 
needed to be successful teachers in the future. 
Lambert (2020) stated, ?Extensive student teaching 
is required to earn most teaching credentials, and 
it is generally regarded as an essential part of a 
teacher?s training before getting his or her own 
classroom? (para 4). However, when faced with a 
pandemic, this created a dilemma because the 
opportunities are limited. This has required a shift 
in thinking because teacher education programs 
needed to adapt the curriculum to a virtual format 
while engaging TCs in conversations on how to 
problem solve during a pandemic or crisis. 
Revising the teacher education programs and 
collaborating with the state department of 
education has been critical moving forward. 

For fall 2020, sophomore and junior level teacher 
candidates will complete required practicum and 
observational hours through asynchronous online 
video evaluations. Senior level teacher candidates 
will complete their practicum and student teaching 
experience following their placement districts? 
protocol, whether it be online, face-to-face or 
hybrid instruction. The pandemic continues to 
present challenges and obstacles for everyone 
involved. This situation has forced educator 
preparation programs to invest in virtual learning 
professional development opportunities and 
revise the education program by preparing teacher 
candidates to offer their future students a quality 
education regardless of the instructional delivery 
format.

?

References

Association of College and University Educators 
(2020). Changing lives. 
https://acue.org/about/faculty 

Brewin, C. R. (2003). Posttraumatic stress disorder: 
Malady or myth? Yale University Press. 

Christie, M., Carey, M., Robertson, A., & Grainger, P. 
(2015). Putting transformative learning theory 
into practice. Australian Journal of Adult 
Learning, 55(1), 9?30. 

Collopy, R., & Arnold, J. (2009).  To blend or not to 
blend:  Online-only and blended learning 
environments. Issues in Teacher Education.  
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/cgi/viewconten
t.cgi?article=1014&context=edt_fac_pub

Davidson (n.d). Trauma informed practices for 
secondary education: A guide. Education 
Northwest.  https://educationnorthwest.org 

Delamarter, J. & Ewart, M. (2020). Responding to 
student teachers' fears: How we're adjusting 
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