Rethinking teacher education quality post-covid-19: comparative student reflections on well-being

Abstract

This article analyses the complexities experienced by two student-teacher groups hailing from two diverse campuses of one Higher Education Institution. The timespan focused on their transition from face-to-face teacher education learning to online. Since COVID-19, lecturers have had to reassess curricula delivery as online teaching became the norm. This shift has been impacted by complex challenges that enable and constrain prospective teachers' professional development and academic success. Immersed in the qualitative paradigm, this paper uses a positive psychology framework to analyse students' well-being experiences. The main data production instrument utilised was an online questionnaire completed by 473 student-teachers. The narratives within this qualitative study framework were central to this study by providing a voice to the well-being of developing professional teachers during a global pandemic. A qualitative questionnaire of 473 students constituted the data. The comparative biographical profile of these participants shows that students from the rural campus could continue their studies more successfully online despite barriers. By contrast, the urban students, mostly working class, were constrained by a lack of readiness, family support, financial resources, online connectivity, and difficulty adjusting to the new pedagogy. Economic and cultural capital separate the students' development experiences to become qualified teachers. The article concludes by exposing the fundamental findings that provide insights into the possibilities of using a flexible or hybrid approach to learning and teaching based on the lessons learned.