Using a synchronous online teaching internship to develop pedagogical skills and explore teacher identity: A case study

Supervised teaching internships can help music students develop procedural knowledge, apply pedagogical content knowledge and acquire teacher identity. It is generally acknowledged that the professional lives of current music majors will encompass a diverse array of activities, including performing, teaching and using technology. However, not all undergraduates appreciate the need to explore teacher identity while developing performance skills. Although technological advances make it possible to teach piano synchronously online, few researchers have investigated the effect of implementing an online teaching internship for undergraduate pianists. This collective case study explored the development of pedagogical techniques and teacher identity among third-year undergraduate pianists during a two-month synchronous online teaching internship. Technology employed included the following: acoustic Disklavier pianos, computers with cameras and microphones, Internet MIDI and the Ethernet. Data were triangulated, and benefits of the online internship included the following: increased pedagogical effectiveness; improved teacher identity; appreciation for current educational technology; increased flexibility; and metacognitive strategies.