Content Knowledge Research Articles

Effects of Teachers’ Technology Leadership on Postgraduate Preservice Teachers’ Application of TPACK: Perspective of Path-Goal Theory of Leadership

A tremendous amount of technology (e.g., online learning platforms, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and robots) has been utilized to create rich interactive activities to upgrade preservice teachers’ knowledge and skills. However, there is a challenge to transform teacher preparation programs into a fully realized technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) application environment. Teachers’ technology leadership (TTL) should be considered to empower preservice teachers to apply TPACK. Since there was no empirical evidence concerning the impact of technology leadership on student outcomes, this study investigated the relationship between TTL and postgraduate preservice teachers’ application of TPACK by collecting quantitative data in Chinese normal university. Factor analyses were first conducted; and results indicated that the questionnaire combined the ISTE-E standards and TPACK framework was a reliable and valid survey instrument. The descriptive statistics results showed that TTL (professional growth and leadership, digital citizenship, technology collaboration, and technology-empowered learning) was highly perceived, and postgraduate preservice teachers’ TPACK components were at medium levels. Structural equation modeling test results revealed that TTL positively and significantly influenced all dimensions of postgraduate preservice teachers’ TPACK. Finally, limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are provided along with theoretical and practical implications.

Empowering Educators: The Impact of Reverse Mentoring on Developing Scientific Mindset and Research Skills

The integration of educational research into teaching practice is an important component in fostering the professional development of educators. Recognizing mentoring activities as an effective method for fostering such research-driven teaching practice, this study set out to explore the effectiveness of reverse mentoring in cultivating a scientific mindset and enhancing research skills among school-based teacher educators. The defining feature of reverse mentoring is the reversal of the mentor and mentee roles, with student teachers mentoring school-based teacher educators. These school-based teacher educators here represent in-service teachers who teach in schools on a daily basis while simultaneously supporting the training of future teachers. Through a semi-structured interview study, nine reverse mentoring projects implemented in Austria and Greece were analyzed. The findings highlight the importance of the thematic focus of the reverse mentoring projects, motivations for participation, insights into collaboration dynamics, learning outcomes, and suggestions for process improvement. Learning outcomes are reported in new teaching methods, content knowledge, and improved collaboration capabilities. A framework categorizing reverse mentoring collaboration into basic, guided, and deep levels is discussed. Suggestions for further research are provided to validate and expand upon the findings of this study.

Penyuluhan Gemar Makan Ikan dan Demonstrasi Produk Hasil Perikanan di Desa Muntai Barat

Indonesia, as an archipelagic country with substantial fishery potential, faces challenges related to low fish consumption levels among its population. Muntai Barat Village in Bantan District, Bengkalis Regency, Riau Province, possesses significant fishery resources that remain underutilized. In response, a community service initiative comprising Fish Consumption Promotion Counseling and Fishery Product Demonstration was conducted to enhance public understanding of the importance of fish consumption and its health benefits, and to stimulate entrepreneurship and the creative economy by leveraging local fishery potential. The methods employed included interactive counseling and demonstrations of processed fish products, specifically mackerel and shrimp dumplings. Participants included 15 members of the village's women's group (PKK). The results indicated a significant increase in participants' knowledge of the nutritional content and benefits of fish, with a 45.34% improvement in post-test scores compared to pre-test results. All participants (100%) successfully created fish dumpling products, reflecting improved skills in processing fish into economically valuable products. Support from the village government in the form of business fund access for participants is expected to encourage the establishment of 3-5 fishery-based business units within six months. In conclusion, this activity effectively increased community awareness and skills in utilizing local fishery resources, potentially fostering the growth of the creative economy in the village.

Content and effectiveness of TVET teacher CPD in Kenya

AbstractContinuing Professional Development (CPD) for teachers can improve teaching and wider school practices. However, within developing country contexts, research on the CPD practices of vocational teachers remains limited. This study therefore investigated the CPD practices of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) teachers in Kenya, focusing on the content, outcomes and effectiveness of their CPD practices. Adopting a questionnaire survey approach, data was collected from 170 TVET teachers drawn from six TVET institutes in Kenya's Nairobi Metropolitan Area.TVET teachers in Kenya were found to more frequently focus their CPD on subject content knowledge and less frequently on pedagogical knowledge. Their CPD activities are not always effective as the CPD activities often do not involve active learning and collaboration, and are not always of sufficient duration. Cluster analysis showed that for some teachers, CPD activities are rarely effective and result in limited impact on practice. However, Initial Teacher Education was found to encourage teachers to focus on broader content and to adopt more effective CPD practices.To improve the effectiveness of TVET teacher CPD practices in Kenya, it is recommended that TVET teachers in Kenya are supported to adopt active and collaborative learning activities that are spread over extended time durations.

TPACK in action: Contextual effects of pre-service and in-service teachers’ knowledge structures for technology integration

Context is regarded to crucially affect teachers’ application of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK). However, whether and how contextual variables, such as instructional context or teaching experience, influence the concrete application of the different TPACK-components remains an open question. To explore teachers’ application of TPCK in various contexts, we re-analyzed data from two studies composing n = 198 pre-service and n = 243 in-service teachers. All teachers were asked to reason about the potential integration of educational technology across three instructional contexts (i.e., individualized learning, collaborative learning, and practice tasks). We analyzed the application of the different first-order TPACK-components (i.e., technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge) using percentages and logistic regressions to determine the effects of instructional context and teaching experience. Additionally, we examined the co-occurrences of these components using Epistemic Network Analysis (ENA). Overall, we found that technological knowledge played a dominant role across all instructional contexts regardless of teaching experience. However, the application of content knowledge varied considerably across instructional contexts. The analysis of the co-occurrences showed that technological and pedagogical knowledge was consistently applied together across all instructional contexts, while content knowledge co-occurred predominantly in practice tasks. Qualitative analyses further revealed that in-service teachers applied their TPCK in a more situated way in specific teaching scenarios, whereas pre-service teachers’ reasoning was more fragmented. These findings suggest that TPACK may be conceptualized as a dynamic construct that is applied differently depending on the context and teaching experience rather than a static integration of its components.

Transmitting knowledge and fostering skills: An exploration of factors influencing student growth and development

ABSTRACT This study investigates the factors influencing student growth and development, focusing on effective resources for graduation and post-graduation. An online questionnaire was administered to 323 college students in China, and the data were analyzed using statistical methods. Convergent validity was applied to assess the reliability and validity of factors, while structural equation modeling (SEM) explored the relationships between variables. The study emphasizes the role of teaching, learning, research, extension activities, and innovation in enhancing student development, particularly in career and entrepreneurship. The findings reveal that pedagogical content knowledge, content knowledge, and student satisfaction significantly impact student growth, highlighting the importance of utilizing effective resources in higher education.

Teachers matter: linking teachers and students’ self-regulated learning

ABSTRACT Teachers play an essential role in supporting students to become self-regulated learners. It is assumed that teachers’ professional competence in self-regulated learning (SRL) influences their promotion of SRL, which in turn influences students’ acquisition of SRL skills. However, the links between teachers’ SRL competences, SRL promotion, and students’ SRL have not yet been the subject of extensive research. In a multilevel analysis with 167 lower secondary teachers and their 2,785 students, we examined the relationships between teachers’ professional competences (own SRL skills, mindsets, pedagogical content knowledge about SRL, self-efficacy, and attainment values), teachers’ self-reported and students’ perceived SRL promotion, and students’ SRL skills (metacognitive, motivational, and cognitive strategies, and metacognitive strategy knowledge). The results highlight the importance of teachers’ self-efficacy for their self-reported SRL promotion. Furthermore, SRL promotion was positively related to students’ metacognitive, motivational, and cognitive strategies but not to their metacognitive strategy knowledge. The analyses of indirect effects showed that teachers’ own SRL as self-regulated learners and their self-efficacy as agents of SRL were indirectly related to students’ SRL through the promotion of SRL. Focusing on teachers’ SRL competences as both learners and agents could help to understand better why teachers do or do not promote SRL, thereby explaining the development of students’ SRL.

How do early childhood education leaders shape professional learning communities?

ABSTRACT This study examined how early childhood leaders working simultaneously as kindergarten teachers perceive the professional learning communities they lead – explicitly identifying the factors that promote or hinder the communities’ development from the leader’s point of view. A qualitative-phenomenological approach was applied using semi-structured interviews of ten early childhood leaders. Factors that contributed to a community’s successful functioning were discussions on practices and real-life dilemmas, active involvement of teachers in community meetings, and creating an atmosphere based on trust and closeness. On the other hand, hindering factors were essentially allocated time to transferring agendas and information from superintendents and limited collaborative culture among teachers beyond community meetings. The findings highlight the considerable potential of professional communities for providing significant assistance to kindergarten teachers to promote children’s education. Nevertheless, leaders need more autonomy in determining the content of meetings and additional knowledge and strategies to strengthen pedagogical collaborations between community participants.

How teachers develop professionally: strategies used by high school teachers in Taiwan

ABSTRACT This study used a constant comparative qualitative research method to explore formal and informal learning strategies teachers use to develop professionally and the impact these learning strategies have on their professional practices. Participants were selected through snowball sampling, consisting of 20 teachers from five high schools in Taiwan. Three were male, and 17 were female, with an average age of 43. The study found that participants’ formal learning strategies include attending workshops and conferences and doing professional courses in colleges or online. Their informal learning strategies include discussions and sharing ideas with colleagues, using the internet to learn and search for information, reading reference materials, and reflecting on teachings and students’ feedback. The impact of the learning on participants’ professional practices includes improved subject content and professional knowledge, teaching and learning skills, classroom and time man agement skills, teaching and learning aid production skills, and collaboration and information-searching attitudes.

Development and Evaluation of an Internet of Things Project for Preservice Elementary School Teachers

Programming education is gaining more attention in elementary schools, especially through the use of visual programming tools and development boards. However, the elementary school teacher education in Taiwan allows only limited time periods for training in visual programming and the use of development boards. Development boards are ideal for creating internet of things (IoT) projects, and project-based learning (PBL) is an effective teaching strategy in programming education to promote active learning. Therefore, to sustainably cultivate 21st-century teachers, this study developed an IoT PBL activity for preservice elementary school teachers in Taiwan, so as to improve their attitude toward programming and to enhance their content knowledge of programming teaching, including in computational thinking concepts and knowledge concerning the micro:bit and IoT. This project aimed to engage preservice elementary school teachers in using the micro:bit and electronic modules to create cardboard games with IoT features. A preliminary evaluation was conducted within a teacher education course to verify the project’s feasibility. Consequently, the preservice elementary school teachers participating in this project could develop various IoT cardboard games through teamwork. Their scores on the assessments of computational thinking concepts, development board knowledge, and attitude toward programming showed significant improvement after the project activity. They also expressed highly positive feedback on the project. These findings verify that the proposed PBL activity could be feasible for elementary teacher education.

Unleashing creativity in STEM teacher education through scripting task pedagogy

AbstractThis paper proposes a creative pedagogical approach that aims to foster authentic STEM teacher education through incorporating scriptwriting tasks in science and mathematics courses for future secondary STEM teachers. These tasks invite teachers to create imaginary dialogues addressing specific pedagogical challenges, such as conceptual difficulties, misconceptions, or unexpected questions arising during instruction. We assert that traditional approaches to lesson planning in STEM methods courses do not provide sufficient opportunity for exploring both content and pedagogy and fostering student engagement. Hence, we propose scriptwriting‐based pedagogy as an innovative and creative way of cultivating future STEM teachers' pedagogical content knowledge. This paper showcases three examples of scriptwriting tasks implemented in secondary STEM teacher education. We elucidate the pedagogical opportunities afforded by scriptwriting and underscore its pedagogical potential for STEM teacher education.

The role of individual preparation before collaboration: An exploratory study on students’ computer-supported collaborative argumentation in a primary classroom

ABSTRACT Background Collaborative learning is widely applied in real-world classrooms while young learners still have challenges engaging in high-quality knowledge co-construction processes. Researchers suggested an individual preparation activity before collaboration. However, there remains a limited understanding of the role of individual preparation on students’ collaborative learning. Method Conducted in a fifth-grade English language class in a Singapore primary school, this study explored students’ collaborative learning outcome and process under two conditions: individual preparation before collaboration (With-IP) and immediate collaboration (Without-IP) conditions. Student groups’ collaborative argumentation artifacts were collected and coded. Process analysis was conducted to reveal the distribution and transitional pattern of students’ verbal discussions and online collaboration behaviors. Findings This study reveals that individual preparation (With-IP) significantly enhanced the quality of collaborative argumentation compared to no preparation (Without-IP), by fostering more idea elaboration, deeper engagement with content knowledge, and higher quality of arguments. However, the students were also found to make more coordination and regulation efforts in the With-IP condition than Without-IP condition. Contribution This research underscores the role of individual preparation on collaborative learning processes and outcomes. This insight is pivotal for educators and practitioners in tailoring collaboration scripts to the objectives of classroom teaching and learning.

Exploring the Integration of Artificial Intelligence into Special Education Teacher Preparation through the TPACK Framework

With the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI), specifically generative AI and large language models (e.g., ChatGPT, Google Gemini), into education, there is a conversation regarding what knowledge teachers still need and will need moving forward. In this article, we describe how AI can, and should, be aligned to the Technological Knowledge, Pedagogical Knowledge, and Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, as a part of special education teacher preparation. Additionally, we explore the implications of AI on the TPACK framework, specifically how AI can be integrated within each of the three components, specific tools that support each aspect, and guiding questions that teacher-educators and pre-service teachers should be using when considering AI. We will provide teacher-educators with example activities they can use with their pre-service teachers to introduce AI and integrate its use within their curriculum, framed within the TPACK.

Perceptions versus performance: Assessing teacher learning in asynchronous online professional development

AbstractTeacher learning in asynchronous online professional development (PD) is often measured by self-reported instruments, despite uncertainties regarding teachers’ accuracy in their self-assessment of learning. This study explored whether teachers’ self-reported gains in content knowledge for teaching aligned with those measured by direct assessments. Through quantitative analyses of data collected from 57 middle school mathematics teachers who participated in a fully asynchronous online PD program, we found no significant correlation between teachers’ self-reported knowledge gains and those measured by direct assessments. Additionally, we examined the role of teachers’ use of self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies, namely organization, elaboration, and monitoring, in their learning from the PD program by conducting linear regression analyses. Our results indicated that teachers who frequently monitored their understanding of the PD content demonstrated greater gains in their content knowledge as measured by direct assessments. However, none of the SRL strategies predicted the accuracy of teachers’ self-assessments of knowledge gains from the asynchronous online PD program. These findings raise concerns about relying solely on self-reported instruments to capture teachers’ learning in asynchronous online PD programs, and they emphasize the need for more robust and accurate outcome measures in the asynchronous online learning context.

Exploring teachers’ epistemological framing through classroom discourse in 6E-STEM classes: From perception to practice

This study investigated teachers’ enactments in 6E-STEM implementation with technology integration. Teachers’ professional development utilized coaching and examining teaching and learning as strategies. Coaches trained three Vietnamese teachers for content, pedagogical content, and technological pedagogical knowledge through intensive STEM curriculum examples. Basic electrical engineering and application of technology for science learning curriculum was designed in 6E instructional model. In addition, CloudClassRoom was integrated with the curriculum to record students’ performance. After coaching, three teachers had practical teaching with 107 students in junior high schools. Each class was implemented in three classes. Examining teaching and learning was conducted to investigate teachers’ epistemological framing in teaching 6E-STEM. Classroom videotapes, and teachers’ responses to interviews were analyzed by NVivo. The key results show that <i>delivering an artifact </i>was a function of teachers’ framings in STEM teaching. However, teachers desired students to provide engineering knowledge, socialize scientific explanations, or develop students’ creativities depending on the individual.

Metacognitive awareness and mathematics teaching anxiety on knowledge of content and teaching of pre-service mathematics teachers

The problem and the aim of the study. Anxiety while teaching mathematics is one key component that may influence both teaching and learning. By investigating the relationship between anxiety levels and metacognitive awareness, the result of such investigation is expected to be able to assist pre-service teachers in overcoming obstacles and developing confidence in their abilities to teach mathematics. Based on that, this study attempts to find out how metacognitive awareness and anxiety in teaching mathematics influence the knowledge of content and teaching of pre-service mathematics teachers. Research methods. The metacognitive awareness and mathematics teaching anxiety questionnaires were used to assess pre-service mathematics teachers’ knowledge of content and teaching as well as their teaching abilities. The research employed a mixed-method approach, which combines quantitative and qualitative research. The quantitative research sample consisted of 135 pre-service mathematics teachers, with 75 being females and 60 being males. In the next step, two research participants were randomly selected to investigate the impact of metacognitive awareness and mathematics teaching anxiety on topic knowledge and instruction in the qualitative research. The two selected subjects were selected based on their knowledge of content and teaching. One had high levels of metacognitive awareness and the other one had low levels of metacognitive awareness, as well as teaching anxiety in mathematics. Results. This study found that the impact of metacognitive awareness and mathematics teaching anxiety on knowledge of content and teaching was confirmed by a multiple linear regression analysis. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis using SPSS 25 showed the influence of metacognitive awareness (X1) and anxiety (X2) on knowledge of teaching and teaching (Y). The regression model Y = – 27,077 – 0.621 X1 + 1,205 X2. According to the results of the multiple regression test, pre-service mathematics teachers with high metacognitive awareness were able to maximize their existing knowledge of content and teaching, whereas those with low metacognitive awareness were unable to do so. Additionally, pre-service mathematics teachers with low mathematics teaching anxiety were able to employ effective ways to maximize knowledge of content and teaching, but pre-service mathematics teachers with high mathematics teaching anxiety struggled to convey knowledge of content and teaching. In conclusion, the study showed that pre-service mathematics teacher students with a high level of metacognitive awareness were more able to explore their understanding of material and teaching to prepare for teaching and learning activities effectively. On the other hand, pre-service mathematics teachers with low metacognitive awareness might find it difficult, as they might struggle with content understanding and instruction. Mathematics teaching anxiety was found to have a considerable negative impact on knowledge of content and teaching. High mathematics teaching anxiety can have an impact on both material understanding and teaching.

Improving role allocation for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in the emergency department: a quality improvement project

IntroductionIn any healthcare setting, cardiopulmonary resuscitations (CPRs) stand out as demanding and chaotic resuscitation endeavours. Emergency departments (EDs) witness a significant volume of CPRs. Given the critical nature of CPR,...

Novice teachers’ challenges and strategies in coping with COVID-19 at a rural school

The study was undertaken to investigate and understand the challenges and strategies of novice teachers in coping with COVID-19 at a rural school. The researcher observed and experienced many challenges during the first year of teaching, including stress, anxiety, depression, lack of support, and lack of collaboration with teammates. This study explores the challenges faced by novice teachers in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic at a rural school. The study employed a qualitative approach, interpretive paradigm, and case study design. Four high school novice teachers participated in this study. Guided by ethical considerations in research, semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. This study used narrative analysis to analyse data from the participants. This study found overcrowded classrooms, heavy workloads, lack of resources, lack of support, tribalism, lack of orientation, lack of discipline, lack of knowledge of subject content, and pressure from school administration as challenges encountered by novice teachers during COVID-19. This study also revealed frustration, discouragement, Insomnia, and mood swings as the effects affecting novice teachers’ well-being. In conclusion, novice teachers applied different strategies to deal with challenges during COVID-19. The Department of Education in Free State should provide mobile classrooms so learners are comfortable and enjoy the lesson, and teachers can also move around when presenting a lesson. The government must develop supportive social networks and proper orientation for novice teachers to limit the lack of support.

EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF MENTORS OBSERVATION FEEDBACK ON POSTGRADUATE PRESERVICE TEACHERS’ DEVELOPMENT

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of mentors observation feedback on postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) pre-service teachers’ development of the necessary competencies. The study which was qualitative in nature generated its data from 32 PGCE pre-service teachers using semi-structured interview protocol and this was analysed thematically. The findings of the study revealed that, the application of Hagger and Mclntyre’s theory of modelling, practice and feedback highlighted the positive impact of mentor-teacher observation feedback on PGCE pre-service teachers development of the necessary competencies required of a professional educator. The competencies revealed include lesson preparation and planning, pedagogical and content delivery techniques, classroom management promotion of inclusivity in the classroom, and grounding in disciplinary content knowledge among others. It was concluded that mentor-teacher observation feedback has the potential to improve and impact on pre-service teachers’ development of the necessary competencies required of a professional educator.

Examining and Supporting Mechanistic Explanations Across Chemistry and Biology Courses.

Causal mechanistic reasoning is a thinking strategy that can help students explain complex phenomena using core ideas commonly emphasized in separate undergraduate courses, as it requires students to identify underlying entities, unpack their relevant properties and interactions, and link them to construct mechanistic explanations. As a crossdisciplinary group of biologists, chemists, and teacher educators, we designed a scaffolded set of tasks that require content knowledge from biology and chemistry to construct nested hierarchical mechanistic explanations that span three scales (molecular, macromolecular, and cellular). We examined student explanations across seven introductory and upper-level biology and chemistry courses to determine how the construction of mechanistic explanations varied across courses and the relationship between the construction of mechanistic explanations at different scales. We found non-, partial, and complete mechanistic explanations in all courses and at each scale. Complete mechanistic explanation construction was lowest in introductory chemistry, about the same across biology and organic chemistry, and highest in biochemistry. Across tasks, the construction of a mechanistic explanation at a smaller scale was associated with constructing a mechanistic explanation for larger scales; however, the use of molecular scale disciplinary resources was only associated with complete mechanistic explanations at the macromolecular, not cellular scale.