Examination of the Relationship Between TPACK Competencies and Mathematics Teaching Anxiety: The Mediating Role of Mathematics Anxiety

This study aimed at exploring the mediating role of mathematics anxiety in the relationship between TPACK competencies and mathematics teaching anxiety. This mediation role stated in the hypothesis of the study was tested through structural equation modeling using data from 426 pre-service mathematics teachers selected through criterion sampling. TPACK Competencies Scale, Mathematics Anxiety Scale, and Mathematics Teaching Anxiety Scale were used to collect data. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and path analysis. The study revealed a negative relationship between TPACK competencies and mathematics anxiety, and mathematics teaching anxiety, while there was a positive relationship between mathematics anxiety and mathematics teaching anxiety. The results suggested that pre-service teachers' mathematics anxiety had a mediating role in accounting for the relationship between TPACK competencies and mathematics teaching anxiety. In addition, TPACK competencies explained 68% of the total variance in mathematics teaching anxiety through mathematics anxiety in the structural equation model. The findings are discussed in light of the related literature, and implications are offered for practitioners and researchers.   

Turkish Pre-service Secondary Mathematics Teachers: An Examination of TPACK, Affect, and Their Relationship

Pre-service teachers\u27 knowledge, beliefs or attitudes gained during their undergraduate education is one of the most influential factors shaping their future teaching in their field. Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge framework (TPACK; Mishra & Koehler, 2006) identifies the knowledge domains needed by teachers to effectively integrate technology into teaching their field. Due to the fact that pre-service teachers\u27 TPACK domains cannot be directly measured, most of research studies in the literature addressed developing a TPACK survey instrument in order to indirectly measure teachers\u27 TPACK in terms of their perceptions. However, there were rare research studies focusing on development a TPACK survey instrument for pre-service secondary mathematics teachers, especially in Turkey too. Therefore, the main goal of this study is to examine Turkish pre-service secondary mathematics teachers\u27 perceptions regarding TPACK domains, as well as adapting TPACK survey instrument, developed by Zelkowski and his colleagues (2013), into Turkish language and context. Another purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships among TPACK components, and the relationships of pre-service teachers\u27 attitudes towards use of technology in education with their TPACK components. This study also aims to explore the effects of demographics differences (gender and year of enrollment) on their perceptions regarding TPACK domains and attitudes. Survey, correlational and causal-comparative research designs were used in this study. To adapt the TPACK survey instrument into Turkish, the following processes were used: forward translation, backwards translation, comparison of original TPACK survey with backward translation, expert reviews and cognitive interviews. The data were collected in terms of two studies, the pilot and main studies, during the fall semester of 2016 in Turkey. Two survey instruments, the Turkish TPACK and Attitude scale towards Computer-Aided Education (Arslan, 2006), were used to collect the data. The total of 778 pre-service secondary mathematics teachers participated in this study as volunteer. The pilot study data was used to examine translation of the Turkish TPACK survey instrument and to determine its hypothesized factor structure. The main study data was utilized to validate its factor structure and to conduct further statistical analysis related to the research questions. The results of factor and reliability analysis showed that the Turkish TPACK survey instrument is valid and reliable for five factors (TK, CK, PK, TPK, and TPACK) including 29 items. The findings of correlations analysis indicated that there were significant positive correlations among five TPACK components with small or moderate effect sizes. In addition, the relationships of pre-service teachers\u27 attitudes with TPACK components were positive and significant, with small or moderate effect sizes. The results of MANOVA displayed that the linear combination of TPACK components differentiated with respect to pre-service teachers\u27 gender and year of enrollment. According to findings of MANOVA, male pre-service teachers had significantly better perceptions about TK and CK than females. Furthermore, fifth grades showed significantly higher perceptions related to CK and TPACK than first and second grades, as well as third grades had greater perceptions on CK than first grades. The findings of ANOVA revealed that there were no statistically differences of pre-service teachers\u27 attitudes towards use of technology with respect to gender, although they had significantly mean differences in regard to year of enrollment. According to the results of ANOVA, five grades had more positive attitudes than first and second grades, as well as third grades had more positive attitudes than first grades. Regarding of finding in this study, future research may focus on which factors influence the development of pre-service teachers\u27 TPACK by means of experimental research studies; and on why male and female pre-service teachers\u27 perceptions in associated with some of TPACK components become different

Educational technology training workshops for mathematics teachers: An exploration of perception changes

published_or_final_versio

Preservice Teachers’ Perceived Preparedness to Integrate Technology Into Teaching of Mathematics: A Mixed Method Study

This study explored preservice teachers’ (PTs’) perceptions of their preparedness to effectively integrate technology into mathematics teaching and the pedagogical strategies that contributed to developing their competencies in this regard. Their perceived preparedness was examined in terms of their knowledge within the TPACK domains and self-efficacy beliefs. Using a concurrent mixed method design, data were collected from 59 PTs in their last semester of study at a Canadian university. Quantitative data were collected through an online survey via three widely used instruments, namely: the TPACK survey, the Computer Technology Integration Survey (CTIS), and the Synthesis of Qualitative Evidence (SQD) Scale. Qualitative data obtained from three open-ended survey questions and follow-up interviews with six participants provided broader insights about PTs’ experiences and activities regarding technology integration into mathematics teaching. The results of descriptive statistics and thematic analysis indicated that PTs perceived their knowledge and self-efficacy beliefs related to integrating technology into mathematics teaching at a moderate to a high level. Correlation analysis also indicated positive relationships between the seven subscales of the TPACK domains and the confidence scale. Participants shared that while their respective programs’ ICT for Teaching and Learning course played an important role in developing their knowledge in the TK and TPK domains, activities such as coding processes, math games, dynamic mathematics software, and graphic calculators were effective tools that encouraged them to use technology in their teaching of mathematics (TPCK). Experiential learning, including practicum experiences, role modeling strategy, and collaboration with peers were identified by participants as effective pedagogical strategies that developed their preparedness to integrate technology into their teaching of mathematics. Some recommendations of this study for teacher education programs include providing math-specific technology courses; incorporating appropriate instructional design that connects the content course to curriculum to promote PTs’ active engagement in meaningful technology-rich learning activities; and using all six pedagogical strategies presented in the SQD model to prepare future teachers to effectively use technology in mathematics teaching

The Impact of the Design Teams Approach on Preservice Teachers’ TPACK in the Vietnamese Context

This study aimed to examine the impact of the design teams approach on preservice teachers’ technological pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK). Using a mixed-method design, the researcher implemented the investigation among 62 teacher candidates whose major was Primary English Teaching at a university of foreign language studies in Central Vietnam. All of the participants attended a course named “Technology in Education”, which was adapted based on Johnson’s design teams approach model (2014). The data were collected using pre- and post-TPACK Survey, a TPACK Rubric (TIAI) and semi-structured interviews. The findings indicated that this design teams approach had a significant impact on the participants’ TPACK, particularly its technology-related knowledge domains (TK, TPK, TCK, TPACK). The result was also confirmed by the teacher candidates’ positive responses about their perceptions towards this instructional approach

The Impact of Student Achievement Based upon the Differences between Teacher Perception of Blended Learning and Their Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge

The purpose of this quantitative, correlational research study was to understand if student benchmark scores in a blended learning environment were predicted by teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK). This study used a correlational methodology to examine if in a blended learning environment, teachers’ perceptions of the TPACK score predict their students’ scores on the second nine-weeks benchmark test in a middle school mathematics. Bivariate linear regression was used for data analysis to determine the predictive relationship between teachers\u27 TPACK-21CL survey score and their students\u27 second nine weeks benchmark score using the latest SPSS software. The data was collected from a Virginia middle school in one southwestern district using their benchmark test and the TPACK survey to determine if a teachers’ perception could impact students’ achievement. The teachers (n = 5) participating in this study completed a survey the TPACK survey on SurveyMonkey. The sample included 316 students. The results indicated that there was statistically predictive relationship between teachers’ TPACK-21CL survey and students’ second nine weeks benchmark scores. Furthermore, this study was conducted during the pandemic and should be repeated again using other subjects. This study had a limited amount of participants and future studies should be repeated including other subjects and both students and teachers would be familiar with Chromebooks

REIMAGINING TECHNOLOGY PREPARATION FOR PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS: EXPLORING HOW THE USE OF A VIDEO SELF-ANALYSIS INSTRUCTIONAL COMPONENT, BASED ON THE EVIDENTIAL REASONING AND DECISION SUPPORT MODEL, IMPACTS PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ TECHNOLOGICAL PEDAGOGICAL CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Teachers often teach on their own in their individual classrooms and thus have to mostly rely on themselves to reflect on their teaching practices and make improvements. This study explores how the use of a video self-analysis instructional component, based on the evidential reasoning and decision support model (ERDS), impacts pre-service teachers\u27 technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK). Using the explanatory sequential mixed methods design, the researcher first collected quantitative data. The collection of qualitative data then followed. This two-step process helped explain and elaborate on the quantitative results of this study. Participants in this study were 21 pre-service teachers enrolled in the third and final required technology integration courses during the 2016 fall semesters. Data sources used for this study included surveys, videotaped teaching samples, reflective essays, and semi-structured interviews. Results from the study indicate statistically significant improvements in participants’ self-perceptions towards their content knowledge (CK), pedagogical knowledge (PK), pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), technological content knowledge (TCK), technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK), and overall TPACK. Except for TK, the self-perception of all TPACK domains statistically significantly increased with medium to large effect sizes. Every participant in this study (n=21/21) cited that their ERDS guided video self-analysis was beneficial in informing their technology integration lesson planning process because the videos enabled them to observe their actual teaching practices. As a result, the pre-service teacher participants were able to critically assess their TPACK strength and limitations. In addition to changing participants’ TPACK perceptions, the participants also applied the lessons learned from their ERDS guided video self-analysis to actually change and improve their technology integration skills. For example, 85.7% (n=18/21) of the participants actually changed their instructional behaviors based on their self-prescribed action plan they outlined in their technology-enhanced lesson plans. The findings from this study suggest that the use of an ERDS guided video self-analysis instructional component was beneficial in helping pre-service teachers improve their ability to teach with technology because 1) it helped them challenge their own preconceptions of their TPACK; 2) enabled them to critique their own teaching and technology integration skills and; 3) provided them with authentic and accurate depictions of technology integration skills (e.g., videotaped lessons) so they could accurately prescribe a specific plan of action to improve their future technology-enhanced lessons. While this is only one study within a specific context, the results from this research suggest it may be worthwhile for scholars and teacher educators to continue examining the effects of using an ERDS guided video self-analysis instructional approach to improve teachers’ TPACK and technology integration skills

Pre-service Primary and Secondary Teachers’ Perceptions of the Potential of Virtual Reality for Teaching and Learning

In this thesis, three separate but closely connected studies were conducted. A scoping review employed a systematic approach to identify studies dealing with pre-service teachers’ ICT beliefs, revealed the crucial factors in terms of measuring pre-service teachers’ ICT beliefs, explored unresolved issues with the current literature of pre-service teachers’ beliefs of different technologies, and provided clear directions for the development of further educational research and practice. A systematic review sought to examine the ICT beliefs of pre-service teachers containing the variables of ICT beliefs measurement, ICT adaptation factors and ICT training needs. The findings from the scoping review and systematic review revealed the relevant research and provided insights into the possible ways to measure pre-service teachers’ ICT beliefs. A mixed method empirical study on pre-service teachers’ beliefs and training needs on the educational use of virtual reality was conducted to fill the research gap and move the literature forward, as the results of scoping review and systematic review have suggested that there is a lack of evidence about pre-service teachers’ beliefs on cutting-edge technologies, such as virtual reality technology. It was found that pre-service teachers have moderately positive attitude towards ICT and virtual reality technology in terms of openness to new ICT tools, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and technological complexity; however, they hold a relatively positive expectation for the future development of virtual reality technology in the educational field. The results also showed that pre-service teachers have moderately positive attitudes towards ICT training, and they have clear goals about their training needs to guide their implementation of virtual reality technology in classroom teaching and learning. It is suggested that pre-service teachers in China need to adapt to the recent and newest policies for their own development and for the advancement of society. Future research could be based on the relationship between pre-service teachers’ ICT beliefs and the practices of integration of technology in the classroom, as well as the changes in pre-service teachers’ perceptions of ICT and cutting-edge educational technologies before and after the Covid-19 pandemic for teaching practice

Responsible research and innovation in science education: insights from evaluating the impact of using digital media and arts-based methods on RRI values

The European Commission policy approach of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) is gaining momentum in European research planning and development as a strategy to align scientific and technological progress with socially desirable and acceptable ends. One of the RRI agendas is science education, aiming to foster future generations' acquisition of skills and values needed to engage in society responsibly. To this end, it is argued that RRI-based science education can benefit from more interdisciplinary methods such as those based on arts and digital technologies. However, the evidence existing on the impact of science education activities using digital media and arts-based methods on RRI values remains underexplored. This article comparatively reviews previous evidence on the evaluation of these activities, from primary to higher education, to examine whether and how RRI-related learning outcomes are evaluated and how these activities impact on students' learning. Forty academic publications were selected and its content analysed according to five RRI values: creative and critical thinking, engagement, inclusiveness, gender equality and integration of ethical issues. When evaluating the impact of digital and arts-based methods in science education activities, creative and critical thinking, engagement and partly inclusiveness are the RRI values mainly addressed. In contrast, gender equality and ethics integration are neglected. Digital-based methods seem to be more focused on students' questioning and inquiry skills, whereas those using arts often examine imagination, curiosity and autonomy. Differences in the evaluation focus between studies on digital media and those on arts partly explain differences in their impact on RRI values, but also result in non-documented outcomes and undermine their potential. Further developments in interdisciplinary approaches to science education following the RRI policy agenda should reinforce the design of the activities as well as procedural aspects of the evaluation research

Teacher Technology Efficacy: The Relationship Among Generation, Gender, and Subject Area of Secondary Teachers

This predictive, correlational study is designed to examine the relationship between the technology efficacy of gender, generation (baby boomers, millennials, and generation X), and subject area using teachers who use 21st century technology tools and devices in a high school setting. In this non-experimental study, participants submitted their online responses to the 34-item survey, Technology Proficiency Self-Assessment Questionnaire for 21st Century Learning (TPSA C-21), as well as their demographic information via Google Forms. The researcher used multiple regression to analyze participants’ anonymous responses. In using a multiple linear regression analysis, the researcher examined results of the TPSA C-21 and concluded that the gender and generation predictor variables showed a statistically significant ability to predict teacher technology, namely on the Total Scale, WWW, Integrated Applications, and Emerging Technologies Skills scales of the TPSA C-21. The subject area variable did not display an ability to predict teacher technology efficacy scores on any scale of the TPSA C-21