FROM CLASSROOMS TO SCREENS: INVESTIGATING THE PERCEPTIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS ABOUT MICROTEACHING

Teaching practice is one of the most important components of teacher education programs as it allows prospective teachers to apply their conceptual and theoretical knowledge and skills in the real classroom environment. Whereas Covid-19 adversely affected the whole education system across the world, courses like teaching practice were the worst affected due to their nature and requirements. Universities tried many alternative strategies to continue teaching practice online. One of the most commonly used online teaching practice strategies was microteaching. As microteaching is a relatively new phenomenon in Pakistan, this study was carried out to investigate the perceptions and experiences of prospective teachers about it. Using a self-developed questionnaire titled QSPEM, data was gathered from 525 students belonging to an online university in Pakistan. The findings revealed that the students found the orientation session for microteaching and the role of their supervisors very effective and helpful. Although almost half of them had not even heard anything about microteaching, they found it very useful in improving their pedagogical and presentation skills. However, they thought that due to its nature, it was less effective than conventional teaching practice methods in teaching creativity and multitasking. Still, an overwhelming majority believed that microteaching should continue even after Covid-19. Keywords: Microteaching, Teaching Practice, Covid-19, Online Education, Higher Education, Teacher Education