From TPACK to ICTeTD

It is well known, and perhaps well accepted, that the knowledge base for teaching in the 21^st century is the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK, later referred to as TPACK for ease of remembering it as a word). However, as Harris, Mishra and Koehler (2009) argued, TPACK is not a professional development model; rather it is a framework for teacher knowledge. Planners of professional development for teachers may use it by illuminating what teachers need to know about technology, pedagogy, and content and their interrelationships. More importantly, the TPACK framework does not specify how this should be accomplished, recognizing that there are many possible approaches to knowledge development of this type.

Some attempts were made to determine the effectiveness of the TPACK framework in teacher training programs. For instance, the study by Guzey and Roehrig (2009) examined the development of TPACK in four in-service secondary science teachers as they participated in a professional development program focusing on technology integration into K-12 classrooms to support science as inquiry teaching. The study introduced to the science teachers such tools as probeware, mind-mapping tools (CMaps), and Internet applications like computer simulations, digital images, and movies. The researchers then concluded that the intervention program had positive impacts to varying degrees on teachers’ development of TPACK. Contextual factors and teachers’ pedagogical reasoning affected teachers’ ability to enact in their classrooms what they learned in the program.

Another study (Chai, et al., 2012) examined pre-service teachers’ perceived knowledge of TPACK and cyberwellness through structural equation modeling. The study also examined the relationships among Singaporean pre-service teachers’ perceptions of the constructs pertaining to TPACK, and their perceived ability to integrate cyberwellness knowledge when designing web-related learning. At the conclusion of the study, the researchers argued that the pre-service teachers’ confidence to integrate their cyberwellness knowledge into their teaching may play an important role in influencing how they plan and design web-based learning. Cyberwellness knowledge may be an important knowledge component to foster when considering the future development of teachers’ TPACK for web-based learning.

There are, however, some theoretical arguments made by some researchers and practitioners who are not finding the TPACK framework completely effective in their work with teachers. Some among these are Krista Moroder and those who expressed their agreement to her blog posted on 3 November 2013. Whereas Moroder agrees with the notion that TPACK looks at the collaboration between technology, pedagogy, and content and that teachers need knowledge of all three, she does not agree with how this framework is presented (see the blog and the corresponding comments at http://www.edtechcoaching.org/2013/11/ed-tech-frameworks-why-i-dont-use-tpack.html).

The ICT-enhanced teacher development model (Engida, 2011) is thus developed as one of the approaches for the professional development of teachers recognizing TPACK as the knowledge base for teachers and as the backbone of the ICTeTD. The ICTeTD model is expected to serve as the guide for the preparation of pre-and in-service teachers for the 21st century. The tetrahedral framework recognizes and indicates the progressive, transformed and dynamic nature of TPACK. Furthermore, the entire knowledge base for teachers is embedded within a context (see Engida, 2011, p. 19).

Base on the ICTeTD model and the corresponding standards (Engida, 2012), we developed training modules for various subjects such as History, Geography, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, and Literacy (we can do so for any subject in the curricula). The basic idea behind these documents is that teacher training in the 21st century needs to be designed in such a way that they develop technological, pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK or TPACK) as one package if they are to be successful and effective teachers. In addition, as teachers and their contexts vary to a great extent, there is a need for a progressive development which we classified as Emerging TPCK, Applying TPCK, Infusing TPCK and Transforming TPCK.

We are also developing assessment instruments for these TPCK-based ICTeTD developmental stages which we can apply as pre-and post-test for measuring gains by teachers and decide the effectiveness of the interventions. There are also observations and interview instruments so that the data obtained from training participants would be triangulated.

We are thus looking for partners who would like to collaborate with us in testing these modules and data collection instruments in any part of the teacher development areas in Africa. We also encourage cross-cultural comparisons within and outside Africa.

References

Chai, Ching Sing, Koh, Joyce Hwee Ling, Ho, Hsin Ning Jessie and Tsai, Chin-Chung (2012). Examining pre-service teachers’ perceived knowledge of TPACK and cyberwellness through structural equation modeling. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 2012, 28 (Special issue, 6), 1000-1019.

Engida, T. (2012). ICT-enhanced Teacher Standards for Africa. UNESCO-IICBA: Addis Ababa. http://www.eng.unesco-iicba.org/sites/default/files/ICTeTSA.pdf

Engida, T. (2011). ICT-enhanced Teacher Development Model. UNESCO-IICBA: Addis Ababa. http://www.eng.unesco-iicba.org/sites/default/files/ICT-enhanced%20Teacher%20Development.pdf

Guzey, S. S., & Roehrig, G. H. (2009). Teaching science with technology: Case studies of science teachers’ development of technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 9(1), 25-45.

Harris, J., Mishra, P. and Koehler, M. (2009). Teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Learning Activity Types: Curriculum-based Technology Integration Reframed. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 41(4), 393–416.

Mishra, P. and Koehler, M. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge’, Teachers College Record, 108 (6), pp. 1017–1054.