Preparing Pre-Service Teachers for Online English Instruction During Times of Uncertainty

Abstract

This study investigates the effectiveness of targeted preparation of pre-service English teachers for online instruction during times of uncertainty, with particular relevance to contemporary Ukraine, where the full-scale war has transformed online delivery from a crisis contingency into a normalised professional practice. The study employs a mixed-methods design. Forty-eight students from two English language teaching programmes at Vasyl Stefanyk Сarpathian National University participated: 27 students majoring in “English Language and Literature and Second Foreign Language” and 21 students majoring in “Secondary Education (English Language and Foreign Literature).” A 25-item survey instrument assessed readiness for online teaching across five categories using a 5-point Likert scale: technical competency, methodological readiness, understanding of online learning specifics, confidence in abilities, and readiness to work under uncertainty. The survey was administered pre-course, at mid-course, and post-course. Additional data were gathered through practical lesson-design assignments, classroom observations, longitudinal reflective essays, and focus group discussions. Results demonstrated significant improvement across all readiness dimensions: technical competency (from 2.3 to 4.1), methodological readiness (from 2.1 to 4.3), understanding of online learning specifics (from 2.4 to 4.5), confidence in abilities (from 2.2 to 4.0), and readiness for uncertainty (from 2.6 to 4.2). All improvements were statistically significant (p<0.001) with large effect sizes (Cohen’s d ranging from 1.83 to 2.87). Qualitative analysis of reflective essays revealed a fundamental transformation from viewing online teaching as a simplified transposition of traditional methods to recognising it as a distinct pedagogical approach requiring specialised competencies. The study confirms the effectiveness of systematic course-based preparation for online English language teaching and provides evidence-based guidance for teacher education programmes operating under conditions of ongoing disruption.