Developing Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) Scale Regarding Geometry
Author(s):
Aykut Bulut (presenting / submitting) Mine Isiksal
Conference:
ECER 2012
Format:
Paper

Session Information

ERG SES H 11, Technology

Parallel Paper Session

Time:
2012-09-18
13:15-14:45
Room:
FCEE - Aula 4.3
Chair:

Contribution

Technology is essential in almost all areas of life. This evolution effects education as well. According to National Council of Teachers of Mathematics [NCTM] (2000) technology influences the mathematics by enhancing students’ learning, which is also effected by teachers. Teachers play a central role in students’ learning, so teachers must be kept up with new challenges, and technologies. The effective use of technology in the mathematics classroom depends on the teacher, so the appropriate technological tools that support instructional goals must be selected carefully. To educate informed teacher about technology integration in mathematics class, teacher preparation programs need to be well prepared (NCTM, 2000).In other words, opportunities should be given to the teacher educators to assess preservice teachers’ knowledge of technology (Mishra & Koehler, 2006).

Technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) is one of the adaptation forms of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). It emerges from interactions among technology knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and content knowledge (Koehler & Mishra, 2008; Mishra & Koehler, 2006; Thompson & Mishra, 2007). Mishra and Koehler’s (2006) generated comprehensive framework, which has seven components and three main parts. Content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and technology knowledge are the three main constructs in TPACK. Other four components are the intersection parts of TPACK framework, which consist of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), technological content knowledge (TCK), technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK), and technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK). Mishra and Koehler’s TPACK framework was used in this study.

Geometry is one of the essential parts of school mathematics and mathematics curriculum. Students can understand the shapes and their properties, apply geometric properties to real world situations, and solve relevant problems in mathematics and other disciplines (Kilpatrick, Swafford, & Findell, 2001; NCTM, 2000). Computer environments are an ideal for teaching and learning geometry. If technology is used appropriately, students’ geometric understanding and intuition can be affected positively (Battissa, 2007; Clements & Battissa, 1992). Dynamic Geometry Environments (DGEs) create dynamic and productive interactions between teacher, students, and computers in order to support the teaching and learning of geometry (Battista, 2001; Hoffer, 1983). When we consider the Mishra and Koehler’s framework, TPCK refers to interrelationship between content (geometry), pedagogy (teaching and student learning), and technology (dynamic software’s of geometry).

When we look at the literature, there are a limited number of instruments measuring teachers’ TPACK. Moreover, majority of the existing TPACK survey studies has been administered in the USA, and existing surveys were too general to measure teachers’ TPACK in specific content area such as geometry. Thus, in this study a scale was developed in order to assess preservice mathematics teachers’ perceived technological knowledge.  In other words, the purpose of the study is developing and validating the Perceived Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge on Geometry Scale. 

Method

This study was conducted with preservice mathematics teachers who are enrolled in elementary mathematics education departments of Education Faculties of two public universities located in Ankara, Turkey. Data were collected from 279(225 female and 54 male) third and fourth grade elementary mathematics education students. Two comprehensive TPACK studies, which belong to Schmidt et al. (2009) and Sahin (2011), were selected in order to guide and adapt the new TPACK instrument regarding geometry.Both Schmidt et al.’s (2009) study and Sahin’s (2011) study consist of seven subscales of TPACK. In a similar way, the scale of this study, TPACK about geometry scale, consist of seven subscales and 54 items. The 6-point Likert scale format ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree was used in the scale. Content validation was ensured with three experts’ opinion. Cognitive interviewing was conducted with two preservice mathematics teachers to gain face validity. To ensured construct validation and identify the factor structure of the instrument, exploratory factor analysis was performed. A reliability coefficient (Cronbach’s alphas) of the scale was measured by using PASW 18.

Expected Outcomes

In exploratory factor analysis, common factor analysis was preferred for the extraction technique, and maximum likelihood was used for a factor extraction method. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) value and Bartlett’s test of sphericity (BTS) value were examined in order to ensure feasibility of factor analysis. BTS was significant (BTS value=10357.86, p<.001) and KMO value was about 0.94, which was higher than 0.60. According to Tabachnick and Fidell’s (2007) study, both results were appropriate to perform factor analysis. There are nine factors that have eigenvalue higher than 1. However, it is seen more proper to extract seven factors by looking at the scree plot. The first seven factors explain about 62.3% of the variance. Moreover, Cronbach alpha coefficient of the whole scale is approximately 0.96, which indicates good reliability. Seven dimensions emerged from the study: technological knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, geometry software’s knowledge, technological pedagogical knowledge, and technological pedagogical content knowledge. By using this scale, preservice and inservice teachers’ perceived TPACK on geometry could be assessed and educators could get feedback from their effective technology integration skills.

References

Battista, M. T. (2001). A research–based perspective on teaching school geometry.In J. Brophy (Ed.), Subject specific instructional methods and activities (pp. 145-185). New York: Elsevier. Battista, M. T. (2007). The development of geometric and spatial thinking. In Lester, F. (Ed.), Second Handbook of Research on Mathematics Teaching and Learning (pp. 843-908). Reston, VA: NCTM Clements, D. H., & Battista, M. T. (1992). Geometry and spatial reasoning.In D. A. Grouws (Ed.), Handbook of Research on Mathematics Teaching and Learning (pp. 420–464).New York: Macmillan. Hoffer, A. (1983). Van Hiele based research. In R.Lesh,& M. Landau (Eds.), Acquisition of mathematics concepts and process (pp. 205-227). New York: Academic Press. Kilpatrick, J., Swafford, J., &Findell, B. (Eds). (2001). Adding it up: Helping children learn mathematics. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2008).Introducing TPACK. A. C. Technology, Handbook of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) for Educator (pp. 3-29). New York: American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017-1054. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM).(2000). Principles and standards for school mathematics. Reston, VA: NCTM. Sahin, I. (2011). Development of Survey of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge.The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 10(1), 97-105. Schmidt, D. A., Baran, E., Thompson, A. D., Mishra, P., Koehler, M. J., &Shin, T. S. (2009). Technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK): The development of an assessment instrument for preservice teachers. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 42(2), 123-149. Tabachnick, B., &Fidell, L. (2007).Using multivariate statistics. Boston: Allyn& Bacon. Thompson, A.D. & Mishra, P. (2007-2008). Breaking news: TPCK becomes TPACK! Journal of Computing in Teacher Education, 24(2), 38 & 64.

Author Information

Aykut Bulut (presenting / submitting)
Middle East Technical University
Elementary Science and Mathematics Education
Ankara
Middle East Technical University, Turkey

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