Supporting the Mental Health of Preservice Teachers in COVID-19 through Trauma-Informed Educational Practices and Adaptive Formative Assessment Tools

To address the emotional and mental health needs of teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic, existing instructional technology tools can be rapidly adapted to support trauma-informed educational practices. In this action research and practice brief, the instructional strategies and communication tools used to support the mental health needs of preservice teachers within an instructional technology course are detailed. Preliminary outcomes indicate that although preservice teachers are effective in using instructional technology tools to articulate the status of their health and well-being, not all preservice teachers chose to engage in course activities, highlighting that the most vulnerable preservice educators need additional support during COVID-19 teaching and learning. Implications for preservice and in-service teacher education are discussed