Incremental Progress: Re-examining Field Experiences in K-12 Online Learning Contexts in the United States

Despite the call for a transformation of teacher education in the 21st century, surprisingly little has changed. This includes how the practical, hands-on component, known as a field experience is structured. Previous research, conducted in 2010, specifically examining how teacher education programs address K-12 online learning through their field experiences found that only seven programs nationally, or 1.3% of responding programs, offered such an experience. In comparison, the current study found a small expansion that includes 15 programs across nine states, representing 3.5% of responding teacher education programs. Despite being limited, there appears to be slow, targeted growth, particularly in contexts in which partnerships have formed between teacher education programs and K-12 online providers. However, while signs of progress are evident, significant work to move the field forward with respect to K-12 online teacher preparation remains.