Preservice Teacher Perceptions of the Online Teaching and Learning Environment during COVID-19 Lockdown in the UAE

(1) Background: In March 2020, the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Education (MoE) closed all schools and universities in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. All lessons had to be delivered online. This mixed methods case study explores responses to this change in learning environment from 35 BA Education and Early Childhood Studies preservice teachers at a British university in Dubai. The research sought to understand the impact of the sudden move to home learning and the ways in which it affected student communities alongside student perceptions of the online learning environment. (2) Methods: Quantitative data was collected via questionnaires allowing students to consider past experiences while reflecting on their approaches to the online environment. Weekly focus groups were held online to track the student experience and understand the influence of different pedagogical approaches. (3) Results: The research found most students maintained a ‘deep’ or ‘strategic’ approach to learning. (4) Conclusions: Despite students declaring the period of emergency online learning as successful, there was a strong preference for the traditional lecture format over alternative approaches, stating subjective feelings of belongingness and connectedness to the physical campus.