An Investigation of Emergency Virtual Observation (EVO) in Initial Teacher Education, in Australia and Ireland during the COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 is currently affecting change across all levels of the education landscape and posing specific challenges in the context of initial teacher education (ITE). In particular, the associated restrictions and constraints can inhibit teacher educators from physically observing pre-service teachers lessons while on school placement. Developments in remote live-streaming technology, however, continue to influence and reshape conventional methods of classroom observation (Liang, 2015). Lessons with student teachers can now be observed by teacher educators in real time through digital networks without the need to physically visit school sites. Live remote classroom observation can moderate the level of subjective judgement by increasing the number of observers and variety of feedback sources (Liang, 2015), as well as reducing reactivity and the potential negative impact the physical presence of an observer can have on teacher confidence and classroom dynamics (Bolton, 2010; Wash, Bradley Beck, 2014). The approach can pose challenges however, from concerns in relation to child protection and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), to technological issues such as restricted internet access (Van Boxtel, 2017) and the limited perspective of the camera (Dyke, Harding Liddon, 2008; Marsh Mitchell, 2014). However, by facilitating access to authentic classroom contexts, enabling professional dialogue, social learning and the provision of credible feedback for immediate implementation and review, live technology has been shown to support the ongoing professional learning of student teachers and placement tutors (Mac Mahon, Ó Grádaigh Ní Ghuidhir, 2019), and has the potential for stronger links between all stakeholders involved in pre-service teacher education. This paper reports on a study, conducted in Ireland and Australia in the context of COVID-19, to evaluate factors that are perceived to significantly impact on the professional experiences of pre-service teachers and school placement tutors during placement virtual observations. Contextualised within teacher education programs in two University settings, this paper focuses on the dispositions of a cohort pre-service teachers and school placement tutors in Ireland and Australia, their learning needs in regard to remote observation and the extent to which they are being addressed. Findings generated from the analysis of both mixed methods studies reveal similarities and differences within the perceptions of the international sample, and offer direction for all teacher educators in a post-COVID era.