Towards a Sustainable and Disruption-Proof Teaching Internship Program: Lessons From the Pandemic and Flexible Learning Delivery Systems

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted teacher education worldwide, raising critical questions about the sustainability of practice teaching as a core component of pre-service preparation. This study examines how six teacher education institutions (TEIs) in the Philippines reconfigured their practice teaching programs during the pandemic and identifies institutional strategies that enabled continuity under conditions of disruption. Using a multiple case study design, data were generated from 13 ethnographic focus group discussions involving practice teachers, cooperating teachers, supervising teachers, and coordinators. Thematic analysis revealed six interrelated dimensions of institutional adaptation: policy flexibility, partnerships, institutional support, capacity building, competency development, and supervision processes. Findings show that TEIs implemented a range of context-responsive adjustments, including localized deployment, flexible recognition of practice teaching requirements, integration of digital platforms, and alternative approaches to assessment and supervision. While these responses were largely reactive and exposed structural limitations in preparedness, they also demonstrated institutional adaptability and innovation. The study argues that sustainable practice teaching requires moving beyond crisis-driven responses toward models that embed flexibility, collaboration, and resilience within teacher education systems. These insights contribute to ongoing efforts to design disruption-proof practice teaching programs capable of responding to future uncertainties.