Content Knowledge Research Articles

Promoting students’ critical thinking and creativity through TPACK based flipped classroom learning model in higher education

The rapid development of technology has influenced various aspects of life, including education. Optimal utilization of technology can be a crucial step in creating better education that is relevant to the demands of the digital era. One of the learning approaches considered relevant in this era is the flipped classroom model based on TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge). This model is believed to enhance critical and creative thinking skills, which are essential in facing the challenges of the digital age. This study aims to examine the effects of the flipped classroom model integrated with TPACK (FC-TPACK) on the critical thinking and creativity of prospective elementary school teachers. This study employed a pretest-posttest experimental design involving 250 students from public universities in Indonesia. The experimental group consisted of 125 students who used the FC-TPACK model, while the control group comprised 125 students who received conventional learning without FC-TPACK. Data analysis was conducted using MANOVA to assess the overall effect of the learning model, and ANOVA was used to examine differences in each aspect of critical thinking and creativity. The ANOVA results showed significant differences between the experimental and control groups in terms of critical thinking and creativity skills, with a significance value of 0.000 ≤ 0.05 for all aspects measured. The experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in analysis, evaluation, innovation, flexibility in thinking, and originality compared to the control group. Therefore, the FC-TPACK model is recommended for use in learning to support the development of essential skills in the digital era.

Construction and Validation of a Scale to Measure Islamic Primary School Teachers’ Readiness in Implementing Emancipated Curriculum Referring to the Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge

This research aims to develop and validate a scale to measure the readiness of science teachers in Islamic primary schools in implementing the Emancipated Curriculum referring to the Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK). Eight development steps by DeVellis were used to develop the scale. A total of 224 respondents, comprising six experts and 218 science teachers in Central Java Province and the Special Province of Yogyakarta, agreed to participate. Data were analyzed using SEM-PLS. The development process successfully created a scale of 34 valid and reliable items. These items consist of Technological Knowledge factors (four items), Pedagogical Knowledge factors (14 items), Content Knowledge factors (four items), Pedagogical Content Knowledge factors (four items), Technological Content Knowledge factors (two items), Technological Pedagogical Knowledge factors (two items), and Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge factors (three items). A high reliability was obtained for the scale developed (0.983). This validated scale is ready to be used to examine teachers’ readiness in implementing the Emancipate Curriculum. The measurement with this scale can illustrate the extent to which teachers have TPACK as a provision for implementing the curriculum so that policy recommendations can be made.

Physical Education Administrators’ Instructional Leadership Affecting Their Leadership Efficacy

This study explored the impact of teaching leadership on leadership effectiveness of sports managers at Hunan Normal University. Through teachers' evaluation of sports managers in promoting professional learning, building relationships, collaboration, organizational skills, and teaching practices, their effectiveness levels in content knowledge, teaching knowledge, classroom management, evaluation, and technology application were analyzed. The results show that there is a weak positive correlation between the teaching leadership practices of sports managers and their leadership effectiveness. Based on the research results, this paper puts forward suggestions on improving the leadership of sports managers, aiming to promote the professional development of teachers, strengthen collaboration, improve teaching quality, and ultimately improve students' learning outcomes.

Processing the Narrative: Innovative Graph Models and Queries for Textual Content Knowledge Extraction

The internet contains vast amounts of text-based information across various domains, such as commercial documents, medical records, scientific research, engineering tests, and events affecting urban and natural environments. Extracting knowledge from these texts requires a deep understanding of natural language nuances and accurately representing content while preserving essential information. This process enables effective knowledge extraction, inference, and discovery. This paper proposes a critical study of state-of-the-art contributions exploring the complexities and emerging trends in representing, querying, and analysing content extracted from textual data. This study’s hypothesis states that graph-based representations can be particularly effective when annotated with sophisticated querying and analytics techniques. This hypothesis is discussed through the lenses of contributions in linguistics, natural language processing, graph theory, databases, and artificial intelligence.

Diagnosis of TPACK in Elementary School Teachers: A Case Study in the Colombian Caribbean

Numerous studies support that the development of digital teaching competence is essential in 21st century schools. This paper examines Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) to gain a deeper understanding of ICT integration in teaching. By assessing TPACK, we uncover opportunities to enhance teacher competencies and, consequently, improve student learning. This research evaluated the initial TPACK of primary school teachers from a public school in the Colombian Caribbean. Eight teachers participated in a professional development program based on the Lesson Study (LS) methodology. Adopting an interpretive qualitative approach and a case study for the operational analysis of LS, the findings indicate that teachers, in self-reports and performance-based assessments, highlight high competence in the PK, CK, and PCK domains. This demonstrates their ability to select and adapt effective teaching strategies. They excel in guiding learning and understanding academic content, showcasing a remarkable capacity to adapt to the diverse socioeconomic realities of their students. However, these findings also highlight areas for improvement in developing the technological components of TPACK, specifically TK, TPK, TCK, TPCK, and XK.

Impact of Integrating Educational Technology on Teacher Preparedness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The primary objectives of this review are (1) to provide an overview of the impact of integrating Educational Technology on Teacher Preparedness, (2) to integrate technology into teaching and learning, and (3) to present teachers’ thoughts about technology integration and barriers to integrating technology in education. The systematic literature searches of English language articles were conducted in November 2023 in the Scopus database, yielding 13 studies that met the inclusion criteria and represented six countries. Data analysis resulted in ways for applying the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework within teacher preparation programs. In addition to Integrating technology into teaching and learning. Nevertheless, preservice teachers’ perceptions regarding technology integration should be considered. The results have implications for integrating technology effectively into the curriculum, resulting in better use of technology for student learning. Limitations of the study are discussed.

Knowledge can wait? The epistemic conversion of new beat reporters

This study shows how, during the turbulent period of their initial months on the job, new beat reporters experience a shift in their basic approach to knowledge. This new epistemic approach encompasses two interconnected shifts: From seeing self-knowledge as a necessity to reliance on sources’ knowledge, and from prioritizing content knowledge to prioritizing journalistic knowledge. Findings suggest that reporting without knowledge isn’t a bug, but rather a major feature of news reporting; that at least during reporters’ first years, the main epistemic challenge is reporting despite the lack of beat knowledge; and that the foundations of source-reporter relations are laid down when the latter are at their weakest point in terms of power and knowledge, enabling sources’ to gain a dominant position in shaping the reported realities.

음악교육가들의 교육내용을 반영한 음악 교수내용지식에 따른 유아 음악교육 대학교재 분석: Orff, Dalcroze, Kodály를 중심으로

Objectives The purposes of this study were to analyze university textbooks in early childhood music education utilized within early childhood teacher training courses, according to the music pedagogical content knowledge that reflects the educational content of music educators. Methods For this study, seven early childhood music education university textbooks suitable for research were selected as the research subjects. Next, these textbooks were analyzed and categorized into music pedagogical content knowledge domains: subject content, teaching and learning methods, curriculum, and learner knowledge. The results were presented. Results First, the analysis of the subject content knowledge revealed that there is a noticeable deficiency in content related to traditional Korean music in the textbook. Second, the analysis of the teaching and learning method knowledge in the textbook showed that the included plans for early childhood music activities predominantly focus on music appreciation and activities following the principle of gradual deepening. Activities such as singing with inner hearing, harmony-linked activities, and singing by note or scale are less frequently presented. Third, upon analyzing the curriculum knowledge within the textbooks, the music education content linked to the Nuri curriculum is presented more frequently on average than the content linked to the standard child care curriculum. Fourth, as a result of analyzing the knowledge of leaners in the textbook, the target age for the included plans for early childhood music activities tended to center around young children or toddler-young children integration. Conclusions The significance of this study lies in its proposals for future enhancements and revisions of university textbooks for early childhood music education.

Evaluating the effectiveness of a blended learning system for developing technological andragogical content knowledge (tack) in community educators

Objective: The relevance of content knowledge, as well as andragogical knowledge and technological knowledge, is rapidly coming into focus as a challenge to turn into Technological Andragogical Content Knowledge (TACK). This study aimed to understand better the substantial variations in learning outcomes attributed to each of the seven sub-indicators of comprehension of technological andragogical content knowledge. Method: This study part of quantitative study. The data were gathered twice in this research, once before and once after the TACK intervention program began, to examine the impact of the TACK training paradigm. The TACK Training Model Development program was offered to 97 instructors from 28 Community Learning Activity Centers in the West Sumatra Province, Indonesia. These instructors engaged in the program on a voluntary basis. Result: The results of this study show that there was a statistically significant difference in TACK among currently practicing educators. This study suggests that a blended learning system for educational applications as an intelligence tutor may provide an alternate means of guiding educators. The findings of this research align with other research suggesting that the blended learning strategy has great potential for future TACK-based professional learning enabled by data analytics. This study's findings add to the expanding body of literature on blended learning in teacher education and teacher professional development, which seeks to enhance how adult instructors get specialized professional training to significantly impact their students' achievements. Conclusions: According to the findings, the TACK of the participants showed substantial signs of improvement. These findings contribute to the relatively small body of research that has been done on TACK, which helps adult educators further their professional development through the support of a blended learning system. This allows them to acquire the knowledge necessary to andragogically incorporate digital technology into students' educational experiences in Community Learning Activity Centers. This investigation has the potential to serve as a case study of the integration of blended learning with adult learning theory.

Pedagogical content knowledge in school economics

How can creative teaching in economics education be identified and explored? A construct that assists understanding in this area is pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). It represents the merging of content and pedagogy to understand how particular topics or lessons are organised, represented, and adapted to students’ diverse interests and abilities. This paper draws upon the author's research that explores teaching and learning in school economics to discuss this epistemological concept that blends the traditionally separated knowledge bases of content and pedagogy. The research involved interviewing and observing school economics teachers and student focus group interviews. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the data. In this paper, I discuss the emergent theme of how teachers communicated their understanding of subject knowledge by developing their PCK to engage their students in learning. The considerations raised can assist lecturers, teachers, teacher educators, and researchers in enacting the teaching and learning process in economics and other disciplines.

Effects of cooperative learning modes on reading comprehension: general trends and comparative analysis between students with and without vision impairment

ABSTRACT It is essential to consider the impact of the cooperative learning (CL) mode when evaluating the effect of cooperative reading between students with and without vision impairment (VI) in inclusive classrooms. This research employs a within-subject two-factor experimental design to investigate the influence of the CL mode on the reading comprehension performance and cooperation level of students with and without VI, considering two text types. The independent variables are CL modes (positive interdependence <PI> vs. individual accountability <IA>) and text types (narrative vs. expository). Reading comprehension performance is the outcome-oriented variable, and cooperation level (including knowledge construction, social interaction, and content contribution) is the process-oriented variable. Findings reveal challenges for VI and sighted upper-grade elementary students in reaching higher levels of knowledge construction during cooperative reading tasks. The PI mode demonstrates higher levels of knowledge construction for narrative texts, while the IA mode shows superior content contribution for expository texts. Notably, VI students achieve lower reading comprehension scores than sighted students in the IA mode and face disadvantages in knowledge construction and content contribution across different reading comprehension scenarios. Building upon these findings, this study put forward suggestions to improve reading comprehension and cooperative participation for VI students.

New Insights for Teaching the One Health Approach: Transformative Environmental Education for Sustainability

The One Health approach often reaches classrooms through Environmental Education (EE), which aims to guide society’s response to current crises (environmental, health, economic, values). However, traditional EE teaching has focused on isolated ecological concepts and standardised solutions, ignoring the multidimensional nature of EE and failing to integrate the interdependence between environmental, animal, and human health. Moreover, teacher training often neglects didactic content knowledge, preventing students from acquiring the systemic vision needed to address eco-social problems and create sustainable solutions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This limits teachers’ ability to influence students’ concerns and behaviours. In this context, this study aims to reflect on the current state of the issue and propose strategies informed by Science Education research to improve EE teaching, enabling the integration of One Health dimensions through effective didactics to achieve Transformative Environmental Education (TEE). For this purpose, we begin by addressing the limitations identified in recent systematic reviews, shifting the paradigm towards a symbiosis of EE and Science Education through scientific practices. We then present practical examples showcasing successful EE initiatives that foster a deeper understanding of socio-environmental issues, encourage innovative solutions, and nurture engaged citizens from early education onwards. These proposals can support classroom practice and ongoing teacher self-development. Pedagogical strategies include tackling issues that require systemic and critical thinking by developing scientific and epistemic practices while raising awareness of Environmental Justice. Thus, this study advocates for a new vision of EE, integrating the One Health approach, which could be applied to develop new educational programs, including teacher training. This would lead to a new learning evaluation model and help identify key determinants that trigger pro-environmental behaviours.

Implementation and Preliminary Evaluation of an Entrepreneurship, Biomedical Innovation, and Design Pathway in a School of Medicine Curriculum.

New educational curricula are emerging to train physicians to practice healthcare in the 21st century. The University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School T.H. Chan School of Medicine (UMass Chan) implemented an MD curriculum redesign in the fall of 2022 that included seven educational pathways, including Entrepreneurship, Biomedical Innovation and Design. This pathway is modeled after the I-Corps curriculum with added material regarding engineering design. This manuscript describes this pathway curriculum and provides preliminary evaluation data and learning outcomes. First-year (Class of 2027) and second-year (Class of 2026) pathway students were invited to participate in online surveys evaluating course material and their knowledge of course content. Course evaluations and self-assessments were performed on a 4 or 5 point Likert scale. The material assessment comprised of multiple-choice questions; some had four options while others had five. Simple means were calculated for each question of the self-assessment, and as an aggregate. A two-sample t-test was performed using those means to assess statistical significance. A distribution of correct and incorrect answers was generated between the pre and post survey results, and a chi-squared analysis was used to determine whether the two correct/incorrect distributions were significantly different. Initial results show that the program was well received, with 15/20 (75%) of first year students rating the experience as good or excellent and 8/10 (80%) of second year students rating the experience as good or excellent. Three lectures were provided during the Fall 2023 semester to 11 second-year students. Results of self-assessment of student comfort and understanding of engineering content significantly improved after delivery of these lectures. Objective student knowledge also significantly improved. This new pathway curriculum at UMass Chan is designed to introduce students to the principles of innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology commercialization. An element of this pathway focused on basic engineering principles provided students with baseline understandings of biomedical design, human factors, and risk/hazard analysis. Despite small sample sizes, the results show improvements in student comfort with the material and knowledge. Novel curricula have the potential to transform medical education and prepare future physicians to practice healthcare in the 21st Century.

Extent of Use of Virtual Field Trips in Instruction of History and Government Among Secondary Schools in Murang’a County, Kenya

The use of field trips for instruction has been limited by the cost of trips, logistical planning, time taken in traveling, and learners’ safety concerns. This has led to the adoption of Virtual Field Trips (VFTs) that offer opportunities for learners to virtually visit historical sites for learning. However, the utilization of VFTs in teaching and learning History and Government in secondary schools has not been sufficiently researched and documented in Kenya thus the essence of the study. The study was guided by Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge Theory (TPACK) and adopted a Quasi-Experimental Design targeting thirty-five public sub-county secondary schools. Schools and teachers were purposively sampled while learners were randomly selected. A sample size of 372 respondents took part in the study. Learners’ questionnaires, interview schedules for teachers, and classroom observation schedules were used to collect data. The study found that majority of teachers and learners were not aware of the use of VFTs for teaching and learning. Further, even after training, teachers were not able to effectively use VFTs in instruction. Against these findings, this study recommended that the Ministry of Education and Teachers Service Commission should team up and organize training for teachers to equip them with ICT skills for preparation and use of VFTs for teaching and learning. Also, teacher training institutions should endeavor to equip teacher trainees with ICT skills to exploit VFTs in their specific teaching-learning areas.

Effect of utilization of VFTs on teaching and learning History and Government in Murang’a County in Kenya

The adoption of Virtual Field Trips (VFTs) as a teaching method has provided opportunities for learners to virtually visit historical sites for learning. However, the effects of utilization of VFTs in instruction on students' performance in History and Government had not been sufficiently researched and documented in Kenya. Therefore, the essence the study was to establish how use of VFTs in teaching and learning affects learners' academic performance in History and Government in Murang’a County in Kenya. The study was guided by Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge Theory and adopted a Quasi-Experimental Design targeting 35 public sub-county secondary schools with a target population of 3,329 respondents. Schools and teachers were purposively sampled while learners were randomly selected. A sample size of 372 respondents made up of teachers and form one learners of History and Government took part in the study. Research instruments used were learners’ questionnaires, interview schedules for teachers, History and Government Assessment Tests, and classroom observation schedules. Piloting was done on all research instruments and reliability accepted r=0.657. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze data for descriptive and inferential statistics. The study found that use of VFTs significantly affected learners' academic performance at t (365) = 15.50, p=0.00. The study recommended teacher training institutions to equip teacher trainees with skills to exploit VFTs in teaching. A VFT teaching guideline was developed to assist teachers in preparation and use of VFTs for instructional purposes to improve teaching and learning for better academic performance.

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.