Award Winner for Volume 17
Preservice Teachers’ Beliefs about Their Future Teaching due to Their Massive Online Learning Experience
This study sought to identify changes in preservice teachers’ beliefs toward steps they should take in future online teaching based on their massive emergency online learning experience during the pandemic. The data were collected from 378 respondents after one semester of emergency remote learning, via a combined qualitative and quantitative questionnaire. Findings indicate moderate levels of belief both for themselves as learners and for their future online teaching goals. The higher level of beliefs about the latter suggests that emergency remote learning positively influences beliefs about future online teaching. Responses to the questionnaire, based on cognitive orientation theory and the system of dynamic personality change, yielded five beliefs about actions required in future online teaching: mediation of meaning, flexibility, entrepreneurship, applying social–humanistic approaches, and diversity as constructing learning. This article’s uniqueness lies in identifying five teaching actions that must be related to future teaching–learning structures. These actions intertwine and constitute a dynamic open system that both undergoes internal changes and maintains reciprocally influencing contact with the environment.
The research highlights grounded theory as a key element in effective teaching, particularly in preparing preservice teachers for online and hybrid education. By examining how their own learning experiences shape their beliefs about future online teaching, the study highlights essential insights into instructional development. Drawing from the Cognitive Orientation theory and the Dynamic Personality Change model, the study offers a novel interdisciplinary perspective that bridges cognitive psychology with educational practice.
Five essential actions for effective teaching in digital and hybrid environments were identified in the study: mediation of meaning, flexibility, entrepreneurship, social-humanistic engagement, and the constructive use of diversity. Together, these actions create a dynamic pedagogical framework that adapts to evolving educational needs while promoting inclusivity, autonomy, and meaningful engagement. The research delivers a comprehensive yet nuanced understanding of the cognitive and motivational processes underlying preservice teachers’ future instructional goals. It underscores the importance of aligning teacher training programs with belief-driven pedagogies, ensuring that educators develop the reflective and adaptable skills necessary to navigate complex learning environments.
Integrating psychological theory with teacher development not only deepens our understanding of professional growth but also lays the foundation for cultivating educators that are innovative, empathetic, and equipped to thrive in diverse and technologically mediated learning environments.
—Adva Margaliot