PurposeThrough the present study, the authors investigate whether online practicum in teaching, with fellow teacher-candidates acting as students, can be effective and whether the teacher-candidates actually developed skills useful for their future teachings, through this form of practicum, which is necessary when, out of necessity, like in the case of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no other option for universities.Design/methodology/approachThe method selected was qualitative research through in-depth interviews, since the present research question and the research topic in general have not been examined in the past. The authors gathered 45 teacher-candidates' journals on this experience, and, then, they interviewed them through semi-structured interviews.FindingsThe findings indicated that the teacher-candidates got acquainted with new technologies in education to a great extent. Moreover, they developed skills that will be proven useful for their future teachings, like adaptability, flexibility and handling of students' interaction in online settings.Originality/valueThe present case study consists of a paradigm of international value, since it fills in a gap in literature on an online alternative of practicum in teaching in cases of crisis, like the COVID-19 pandemic. Valuable insights are gained for researchers, practitioners and policymakers and best-practices for online teaching practicum have derived for future use.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reflect the multi-level mentoring practices of a Teacher Education Program in Greece and the mentors’ perceptions on them. The mentoring practices of the specific Program are unique in Teacher Education in Greece; and therefore, the paper examines the extent to which they are considered as capable of developing in mentors and mentees specific skills that contribute to the development of student-teachers’ professional identity. Design/methodology/approach The case study is based on qualitative research and 32 interviews with mentors of the specific Program who report their experience. Six mentees have also been asked to provide the researchers with comments, so as to observe whether their answers confirm the mentors’ perceptions. Findings The different types of mentoring of the specific Program are perceived as able to enhance the mentors’ and the mentees’ professional development and self-confidence as well as to the latters’ improved transition and engagement to the Program. The authors also contribute to the fostering of the mentees’ experiential learning and to the capitalization of knowledge in Teacher Education. The EES teacher mentoring is considered of important adding value to the formation of student-teachers’ professional identity, according to the mentors interviewed. Mentees comments were found to confirm the mentors’ perceptions. Originality/value The conclusions of the paper are of significant value, since multi-level mentoring as a holistic approach to teacher-candidates’ experiential learning and professional development examined in a single paper is rather rare. Moreover, the Program of the paper’s case study follows this multi-level innovative approach, which includes EES teacher mentoring, and which is of considerable adding value, according to the mentors and the mentees interviewed. It could, therefore, constitute a paradigm for other Teacher Education Programs in Greece and in other countries.

The present study presents a traditional-non-digital-game, which aims at providing preschool teachers with an innovative, experiential method of teaching cognitive skills to preschoolers. This game is originally designed in order for preschoolers to understand the meaning and the importance of the terms 'money' and 'enterprises'. Teachers themselves are exposed to the same playful experience in order to detect-before and after the game-their perceptions of the notions-to-teach and the game as a teaching method. Most of the interviewed teachers recognise the importance of playfulness in teaching as well as the importance of pupils understanding such notions at such an early age, which is also highlighted in the literature. The undermined importance of developing cognitive notions in preschoolers is underlined and this paper fulfils this gap by presenting an innovative approach of international value.

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The present study investigates whether experiential learning through cultural promenades and ancient Greek drama can constitute an effective method of instilling cultural values in the new generation. For this reason, field research was conducted in the broader area of Acropolis in Athens, Greece. Qualitative research through in-depth interviews followed, in order to record 42 student teachers’ perceptions after their own experiential contact with the method of cultural promenades. This research method with teacher candidates during their vocational training as future teachers is of great importance, as it will indicate whether the method of instilling cultural values through cultural promenades and ancient Greek drama is effective enough to be adopted in later teacher candidates’ teaching in schools. The choice of the sample is strategic, since the teaching specialty of the majority is economics and management, and thus teachers get acquainted with an innovative experiential methodology on teaching economic and cultural sustainability, which—according to literature—are interconnected. The findings reported valuable insights on the effectiveness of the said teaching methodology. The present research is the first that focuses on the descriptive interrelations among cultural promenades, experiential learning, cultural values, and sustainability, and thus it provides policy makers and teachers with invaluable insights.