Exploring the impact of an online learning community to support student teachers on school placement

Abstract

This paper documents the design, implementation, and evaluation of an online learning community (OLC), within the Republic of Ireland, which set out to support student teachers in a hybrid space during their school placement experience. Guided by qualitative research, data collection methods included interviews and analysis of students’ forum postings. Key findings illustrated that the OLC provided a valuable learning context for student teachers. The presence of cooperating teachers, as online tutors, as well as a higher education institute tutor was recognised as critically important for facilitating the OLC. A significant conclusion to this study is that hybrid spaces, that are aligned with the practicum, can provide opportunities for dialogic reflection and enquiry within a community of learners. With the increased attention of adopting online pedagogical approaches, stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, this paper offers two research-based design principles to facilitate OLCs that support student teachers on school placement.