The Impact of Virtual Field Experiences on CTE Preservice Teacher Identity Development

Teacher education programs help preservice teachers develop their identities through various curricular practices, including field experiences. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted teacher education programs as they were pressed to coordinate virtual field experiences. This intrinsic case study explored how virtual field experiences coupled with structured reflection practices shaped teacher identity development of preservice Career and Technical Education (CTE) students at the sophomore and senior levels. CTE preservice teachers were selected for this study due to the inherent nature of CTE teachers to include technical and hands-on learning. Qualitative analysis of student check-in meeting reflections revealed four themes: (1) Prior field experiences shaped attitude and approach to the virtual environment; (2) Initial reluctance gave way to envisioned success; (3) The virtual environment changes relationships; (4) Additional opportunities for critical reflection contributed to building CTE teacher identity. Quantitative data from post-experience surveys indicated the impact of virtual field experiences on certain components of teacher identity and efficacy. Recommendations for practice include helping preservice teachers develop skills and confidence regarding the development of student-to-teacher relationships and providing future preservice teachers with brief, high-quality virtual field experiences to better prepare them for the changing landscape of education.