Designing, navigating and nurturing virtual learning spaces: Teacher educators’ professional development priorities and potential pathways

The recent digital pivot requires teacher educators (TEs) to reconceptualise their discipline-specific knowledge base and pedagogical skill set for the online learning environment. This mixed methods study explores TEs’ knowledge demands of choreographing a virtual learning space, with a particular focus on teaching presence. Data were collected from an extensive online questionnaire, individual semi-structured interviews and focus group interviews. Significant challenges in relation to curating and crafting contemporary pedagogy, implementing the instructional process and cultivating student interactivity were unearthed. Findings also outline critical characteristics of professional development experiences which, from a TE perspective, positively impact knowledge growth.