Abstract
<jats:p>This chapter addresses the growing demand for online teaching competencies among preservice teachers in response to increased K–12 virtual school enrollment, driven by factors such as bullying, chronic health conditions, and geographic challenges. Despite this shift, most teacher preparation programs lack instruction in online pedagogy, course design, and delivery. To address this gap, professional development-style training was embedded into a university methods course. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design examined 21 preservice teachers' beliefs before and after the training. Quantitative results showed statistically significant gains in perceived readiness, while qualitative responses revealed increased confidence and awareness of tools and best practices for online instruction. Findings suggest that embedding virtual professional development in teacher preparation is a viable strategy for cultivating essential online teaching skills.</jats:p>