How has Covid-19 affected how teacher educators engage their students in learning?

The use of technology and the availability of information has affected how people learn and interact. Virtual learning environments (VLEs) have been used for some time to support learners in higher education to acquire skills and knowledge. This study investigated whether the current strategies supported by VLEs are suitable for learning in an extended online HE environment such as those used during the pandemic. It aimed to understand the impact of the changes forced by Covid-19 on the perceptions of teacher educators based within the HE sector, specifically within the initial teacher education partnership in the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD). The study considered teacher educators’ perceptions about the enforced use of technology on their practice and wellbeing. Study findings are based on an analysis of semi-structured interviews using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis, and particpants’ results from the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) (Tennant et al., 2007). These indicate a need for more effective management of online learning environments and greater expertise in digital pedagogy. They also show that the enforced change affected study participants both negatively and positivel