Communication, Community, and Disconnection: Pre-Service Teachers in Virtual School Field Experiences.

This study examined the experiences of 11 graduate-level pre-service teachers completing Virtual School Field Experiences (VSFEs) with cooperating teachers in fully online, asynchronous high school courses in New York State. The VSFEs included a 7-week online teacher training course, and a 7-week online field experience. Pre-service teachers completed pre- and post-VSFE questionnaires, biweekly written journals, and formal structured interviews. Pre-service teachers reported success in communicating with their students, and struggles with establishing a sense of community in their online courses. We discuss these outcomes, and suggest that the particulars of the VSFE matter for pre-service teacher outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]