Exploring ICT Use and TPACK of Secondary Science Teachers in Two Contexts

The aims of the study were to census and compare the technological pedagogical and content knowledge （TPACK） of secondary science teachers and their most used information and communication technology （ICT） in two contexts, Taiwan and Shaanxi Province in China. A questionnaire was employed to examine secondary school science teachers＇ most used ICT and their TPACK in science teaching. Eight hundred and six secondary science teachers from Taiwan and 164 teachers from Shaanxi participated in the study. The analytical results showed that multimedia was the most used ICT in Taiwan, followed by PowerPoint （PPT）, Internet platforms, and interactive whiteboards （IWBs）. In Shaanxi, PPT was the most used ICT reported by science teachers, followed by multimedia, IWBs, and Intemet platforms. The findings indicated that in Taiwan, science teachers＇ TPACK was statistically significant in relation to different types of ICT, whereas in Shaanxi, science teachers＇ TPACK did not demonstrate significant difference. In Taiwan, science teachers who reported their most used ICT to be multimedia were found to show significant differences in TPACK according to gender and teaching experience. In Shaanxi, science teachers who reported their most used ICT to be PPT did not show any significant difference on TPACK by gender; however, they showed significant differences on TPACK in regard to teaching experience. The research implications of this study are provided below along with suggestions for future research.     

Perceptions of technological,pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) among pre-service teachers in Estonia

Most countries stress that preparing quality teachers for twenty-first century students is an essential task for teacher training institutions. Besides the skills for how to teach subjects effectively, teachers should also know how to integrate digital technology into their teaching. Several studies have been done based on the TPACK framework. Some of these studies use this framework for specific subject domains. In this study a generally applicable instrument for measuring TPACK was created. The aim of the paper was to validate the created instrument and to find out how pre-service teachers perceive their technological, pedagogical and content knowledge regarding the TPACK framework in Estonia, in a technologically highly developed country where technology is broadly used in general education. Conducting factor analysis all items with technology merged into one factor meaning that young generation perceives technology already integrated with content and pedagogy. The results indicate that pre-service teachers lack pedagogical knowledge, but they perceive that they are good at integrating technology into their teaching. Differences in perceptions were also found according to gender, age and curricula.     

Framing ICT, teachers and learners in Australian school education ICT policy

It is well over 20 years since information and communication technologies (ICT) was first included as part of a future vision for Australia’s schools. Since this time numerous national policies have been developed, which collectively articulate an official discourse in support of a vision for ICT to be embedded in our schools, and routinely used by ‘digital’ learners and ‘competent’ teachers alike. The purpose of this paper is to critique how ICT, teachers and learners are positioned in this vision by an analysis of national school-education ICT policies from 1989 to the present day, including the National Goals of Schooling policies, the Learning in an Online World suite of policies, several Ministerial Statements relating to ICT and the recent A Digital Education Revolution policy. This paper suggests that determinist views of technology and a utopian vision underpin these representations, which creates a flawed, future vision for ICT in school education and its use by teachers and learners.     

Assessment,and the literacy practices of trainee PCET teachers

Drawing on concepts of learning as socially situated within communities of practice and of literacy as social practice (the New Literacy Studies), this paper seeks to explore the assessment practices of a part-time teacher training course for teachers working in the post-compulsory education and training sector. This paper argues that the ways in which student teachers make sense of the assessment requirements of their course is not related to their prior experiences as students or as teachers, contradicting notions of transferable study skills. This paper also posits a conceptual framework for exploring the assessment process that seeks to reconcile assessment and pedagogy with the community of practice model.     

Patriotism and National Education: Perceptions of trainee teachers in Singapore

The effective teaching of national education requires from the teacher a sense of commitment and personal conviction. The teacher has to demonstrate confidence in what is said and taught in class and, more importantly, through his or her personal values and convictions. In other words, the teacher is required to be patriotic. This paper examines the different types of patriotism among trainee teachers in Singapore, and how these types of patriotism influence their perceptions of citizenship values, the importance of national education, and the extent to which national education is viewed as government propaganda. The results revealed four homogenous clusters that differed significantly in terms of their perceptions.     

Beliefs of experienced and novice teachers about achievement

The aim of this study was to examine the beliefs that experienced and novice teachers hold about school achievement. It is important to investigate these beliefs and attributions because of the significant role that teachers play in the lives of most children. A group of Greek Cypriot elementary school teachers (n = 154) and a comparable group of teacher education students (n = 159) completed the Beliefs About School Achievement (BASA) scale. It was found that, in comparison to student teachers, experienced teachers tend to attribute achievement more to factors that are biologically determined, uncontrollable by the child, and stable over time – such as intellectual ability. They also believe significantly more than student teachers that factors such as gender and family background play an important role in child achievement. In contrast, novice teachers believe more in the role that teachers play in student learning and in the importance of student effort.     

基于TPACK理论框架下探究中学物理的教与学

TPACK理论是信息技术与学科教学整合的知识体系,是信息技术支持下的教与学教学方法更新和改革新途径。本文基于TPACK理论框架下从整合技术、信息技术、教学内容、教学方法几个方面对中学物理的教与学进行探究,以实际教学案例给出了两者有效结合的方法,为中学物理课堂教学改革提供参考和借鉴。     

Gender differences in academic achievement among Turkish prospective teachers of English as a foreign language

This study seeks to explain prevalent gender differences in academic achievement of 84 third‐year students enrolled in a pre‐service ELT (English Language Teaching) teacher training department. The study collected both qualitative and quantitative data through semi‐structured interviews from a sample of 38 students. A content analysis of the data indicated that male and female trainee teachers had differentiating perceptions of social roles and, as an artefact of these roles, they differed in the quality and quantity of time and effort allocated for their academic studies. Girls reported both longer periods of time and more efficient metacognitive disposition than their male peers. Another important factor for the observed differences appeared to be the perception of teaching as a profession. Female trainee teachers reported more intrinsic orientations towards the profession whereas male trainee teachers mentioned more extrinsic orientations, which seemed to directly influence the participants' engagement with their academic endeavour.     

Teaching beliefs: a comparison between Italian primary and secondary school trainee teachers

This paper presents research which compares the teaching beliefs of primary and secondary school trainee teachers. Participants were 177 trainee teachers, 92 enrolled in a primary school teacher degree course, and 85 enrolled in a postgraduate teacher training course specifically for music teaching at secondary school level (middle and high school). A questionnaire was employed for assessing beliefs. By performing factor analysis, the following four dimensions were extracted: innovative teaching and cooperative learning, teacher-centred approach, learner-centred approach and working collaboratively. Data were subjected to analysis of variance for each factor of the questionnaire. Significant differences between primary and secondary trainee teachers in the way they think about music teaching were found. The relevance of these factors and differences was discussed in considering how to improve the education of teachers.     

Exploring relationships among four science teaching-learning affective attributes of sixth grade students

The intent of this study was to investigate possible relationships among the constructs of attitudes toward science, interest in science, science curiosity, and self-concept of science ability. Data were collected from 228 sixth-grade students by way of four Likert-type instruments, each of which measured a given attribute. Statistical procedures included univariate and multivariate analysis of variance, product-moment correlations, canonical correlations, multiple regression analysis, and factor analysis. The results indicated that attitudes toward science, interest in science, and science curiosity are highly related. Implications for classroom science teaching and suggestions for future research have also been discussed.     

Diary-based strategy assessment and its relationship to performance in a group of trainee teachers

Our work is based on the study of learning strategies used by a group of trainee teachers in a real learning situation, and how this use of strategies influences the results of the learning process. We use a diary as a tool to assess the learning strategies and compare the results obtained with those using an inventory. Our findings indicate that the deliberate use of strategies (measured by diaries) has a positive effect on knowledge acquisition, with the qualitative analysis method of the verbal protocols noted in the diaries proving more valuable than the use of traditional inventories.     

Exploring the behavioral patterns of an online knowledge-sharing discussion activity among teachers with problem-solving strategy

The sharing of teaching-related knowledge may help teachers solve a variety of problems that they face, and the appropriate use of online knowledge-sharing activities is expected to assist teachers' knowledge-sharing. This study proposed an online knowledge-sharing discussion activity, integrated with a problem-solving strategy for teachers. Empirical observations are noted. The participants were 495 teachers, and quantitative content analysis, sequential analysis, and qualitative original protocol analysis were used to explore the content and patterns of teachers' discussion behavior. The study identified influences on and limitations of knowledge-sharing in the activity, from which suggestions were generated to be proposed to teacher educators.     

A basic model of integration of ICT by teachers: competence and use

The process to integrate information and communication technologies (ICT), where teachers play a decisive role, is complex. The objective of this study is to build a basic model that connects teachers’ ICT technological and pedagogical competences with the use of these technological resources by teachers (both personal-professional use and use with students). The model also considers how personal and contextual factors influence this relationship. A secondary analysis study was used, whose sample included 1095 male and female Primary, Secondary and Higher Education teachers from the Valencian Community (east Spain). Information was collected with a questionnaire from two survey design studies. Using an MIMIC model, teachers’ integration of ICT was optimally modeled. This model shows a complex relation between competence and use. Technological competences influence pedagogical competences and personal-professional use, while pedagogical competences influence personal-professional use and use in class. Use in class is influenced by both pedagogical competences and personal-professional use. Personal and contextual factors influenced the four dimensions of use and competence. This basic model of the relationship between teachers’ ICT competences and using these educational resources helps us to understand the complex process of integrating ICT into classrooms. Therefore, this model is a key element to guide teacher training in ICT.     

Comparative study of the evaluation of professional competencies by experienced and trainee Spanish primary teachers

Taking as reference the proposals of the European Higher Education Area, the aim of this study is to identify the competencies which a wide sample of teachers in Spanish primary schools (6–12 age group) consider to be important for their professional performance and which they use in their everyday teaching, and to what extent their university training prepared them for their practising professional development. To do this, an ad hoc instrument was devised and applied to experienced practising teachers and to teacher trainees who were on teacher training placements during the last semester of their course. The results of the study show that initial teacher training should deal in depth with the competencies related to the organisation and management of teaching–learning, the use of new technologies in the primary classroom, the involvement of the families, education in values, social skills and skills for working in professional groups. Finally, proposals are made for training based on the articulation between theory and practice, to allow the professional competencies mentioned to be developed and used in practice, as well as encouraging close collaboration between teacher trainers and experienced practising teachers.     

Gender and emotions in relationships: a group of teachers recalling their own teachers

This narrative inquiry analyses the memories of a group of female teachers telling about their own teachers. We ask how gender and emotions are intertwined to teacher–student relationships. Gender was present in the stories where the teachers described being a schoolgirl in relationship with a teacher and told about their teachers as women and men. The collective process of recalling evoked the emotions experienced as students, but these emotions were also interpreted in the present context. When recalling, the teachers were reconstructing the past in the light of the present and the future. The article highlights the significance for teachers reflecting on their own educational histories.