TPACK levels of physics and science teacher candidates: Problems and possible solutions

Participants

The participants consist of senior students who are pursuing their undergraduate degrees in physics and science teacher education programmes and who have completed the majority of their classes in technology, pedagogy, and content areas in a college of education in Turkey. A total of 123 teacher candidates participated in the study. Of those, 66 teacher candidates are from the Department of Physics Teacher Education and 57 participants are from the Department of Science Teacher Education. Furthermore, 54% (n=67) of the participants are males and 46% (n=56) females.

Research Instruments

Technological Pedagogical And Content Knowledge (TPACK) Survey

In this study, a scale regarding college students’ perceptions in technological pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) domains is used, which was originally developed by Sahin (2011). In the TPACK survey, higher scores for each subscale indicate higher perceived acquaintance with the applications of the knowledge base. The TPACK survey includes seven subscales (technology knowledge, pedagogy knowledge, content knowledge, technological pedagogy knowledge, technological content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and technological pedagogical and content knowledge) with 47 survey items. Sample items of TPACK survey are shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Sample items of TPACK survey

Subscales	Sample Items (I have knowledge in …)
Technology Knowledge (TK)	Solving a technical problem with the computer Knowing about basic computer software (ex., Windows, Media Player) and their functions
Content Knowledge (CK)	Knowing about key subjects in my area Developing class activities and projects
Pedagogy Knowledge (PK)	Assessing student performance Using different evaluation methods and techniques
Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK)	Developing evaluation tests and surveys in my content area Preparing a lesson plan including class/school-wide activities
Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK)	Choosing technologies appropriate for my teaching/learning approaches and strategies Using computer applications supporting student learning
Technological Content Knowledge (TCK)	Using technologies helping to reach course objectives easily in my lesson plan Preparing a lesson plan requiring use of instructional technologies
Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK)	Integrating appropriate instructional methods and technologies into my content area Selecting contemporary strategies and technologies helping to teach my content effective

The survey items are on a Likert-type scale with five response choices: “1=no knowledge”, “2=little knowledge”, “3=moderate knowledge”, “4=quite knowledge” and “5=complete knowledge”. In the development study of the instrument, the Cronbach alpha reliability coefficients were found to be between 0.86 and 0.96 for the subscales of the survey, indicating that the instrument is a reliable measure. Also, to determine the achievement levels of the participants, their grade point average (GPA) scores were obtained from the administration office and matched with the survey data.

Interview Form

After the survey study, in-depth interviews were completed in order to support the results of the study and determine the reasons for the differences between the teacher candidates. The participation of five persons each was provided among the physics and science teachers who participated in the survey to this end. Thus, in-depth interviews were conducted with a total of 10 teacher candidates. The selected teacher candidates were randomly selected among teacher candidates who wish to participate in in-depth interviews. Physics teacher candidates were coded as (PH-1, PH-2, PH-3, PH-4, PH-5) and science teacher candidates were coded as (SC-1, SC-2, SC-3, SC-4, SC-5). The following process was used in the in-depth interviews:

Teacher candidates were primarily asked to describe TPACK theory.
They were asked if they found their levels sufficient, based on the TPACK theory that they described.
Teacher candidates were given brief information on TPACK theory by the researcher.
After the brief information on TPACK, they were directed questions through which they could make self-criticism in line with the answers they had previously given.

Data Analysis

Provus’ assessment model was used for the assessment of the data which was obtained as a result of the TPACK survey (Gardner, 1977). Based on this assessment model, the medians of the scores of the teacher candidates regarding each subdimension of the TPACK survey were primarily calculated. The standard scores which are expected from the teacher candidates for each subdimension of the survey were calculated. “I know at good level" and above scores were accepted as the limit for the standard score. The number of items regarding each subdimension of the survey was multiplied with 4 points which were determined for “I know at good level" and the expected standard scores of teacher candidates were calculated. Subsequently, the median scores which have to be received by the teacher candidates with regard to each subdimension of the survey were compared with this standard score. Median scores of the teacher candidates were considered sufficient if equal to or higher than the standard scores determined. Standard scores which were calculated with regard to each subdimension of the survey were determined respectively as (≥60) for TK, (≥24) for CK, (≥24) for PK, (≥28) for PCK, (≥16) for TPK, (≥16) for TCK, and (≥60) for TPACK.

An independent t-test was used to compare college students’ TPACK levels based on their departmental affiliation (physics and science). Also, the relationship between student achievement scores and TPACK constructs was analysed. In stepwise linear regression analysis, the relationship between the dependent variable, GPA scores, and the following seven predictor variables was tested: technology knowledge, pedagogy knowledge, content knowledge, technological pedagogy knowledge, technological content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and technological pedagogical and content knowledge. Also, covariance analysis was made in order to test whether the difference between the GPA scores of the teacher candidates, based on their departments, resulted from TPACK scores. Data was analysed by using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) 15.0 software.

From the data which was acquired from the in-depth interviews with teacher candidates, results were obtained based on common attitudes, thoughts, and opinions. The results were used in the discussion and result sections of the research in order to support the quantitative findings in relation to the TPACK levels of the teacher candidates, and present the problems and their reasons in relation to attitudes towards TPACK. The findings were coded with regard to the opinions of the teacher candidates who participated in the research.