Exploring the TPACK of Taiwanese secondary school science teachers using a new contextualized TPACK model

Abstract

Technological pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) has been one of the steering theoretical concepts widely employed by researchers in order to examine and develop teachers' knowledge of integrating technology into teaching. Existing research on TPACK shows little about in-service secondary school science teachers' TPACK through a quantitative approach. The purposes of this study were to explore TPACK of secondary school science teachers using a new contextualized TPACK model. Associations between in-service teachers' TPACK and other factors were also examined. The TPACK questionnaire was mailed to secondary schools randomly selected across different parts of Taiwan, and return envelopes were provided for completed questionnaires. There were 1292 science teachers from secondary schools for factor analysis. An independent samples t-test was conducted when there were two groups (i.e., gender) to be compared for TPACK. ANOVA was conducted when there were more than two groups (i.e., science teaching experience) compared for TPACK. The results indicated that secondary science teachers' TPACK was statistically significant according to gender and teaching experience. With the consideration of other TPACK sub-components, male science teachers rated their technology knowledge significantly higher than did female teachers. Experienced science teachers tended to rate their content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge in context (PCKCx) significantly higher than did novice science teachers. However, science teachers with less teaching experience tended to rate their technology knowledge and technological content knowledge in context (TPCKCx) significantly higher than did teachers with more teaching experience. The study shows how gender and teaching experience were influential factors for secondary school science teachers' TPACK. The research implications of this study are provided along with suggestions.