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TPACK and Pre-service Mathematics Teachers Use of Technology

Elif N. Gokbel
January 25, 2015
GDIT 706 Developing a Learning Environment Using IT
Duquesne University

The application of TPCK

Providing technology rich environments for pre-service teachers was an issue that
I have considered when I was a masters degree student in mathematics education. After a
few discussions that I had with my supervisor, we decided to redesign the method course
that she teaches to pre-service mathematics teachers with implementation of technology. I
often searched activities and teaching methods related to some certain educational

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software. As I designed and implemented activities with technological tools in the
methods course, I realized the pre-service teachers lack of confidence in using
technology. Considering the TPACK model for pre-service mathematics teachers, three
components of the model should be applied as following: Pedagogical methods to be
used, the mathematical content to be taught, and the technology to be employed.
Pedagogy is the first component of TPCK model application. Considering my
teaching experiences in pre-service teachers method course, preparing classroom
activities in a way that all teacher candidates have equal opportunities to engage was an
important pedagogical goal. Also, the instructional methods were expected to be
examples for them to use in their student teaching. That is why, each time the activity was
associated with a different unit, and after their performance they had to reflect about how
to use it as future teachers.
Content focus for the method course I mentioned afore was high school Algebra
and Geometry. Key importance of the content was the mathematics content connection
with real world situations. Mostly, authentic examples and applications were included in
course activities and materials.
The last part of the model application was technology knowledge. Teacher
candidates used technology related mathematics software, Geometers Sketchpad, and TI
graphing calculator with the purpose of improving their confidence and abilities. Each of
them had a computer/iPad access with Internet connection. Although most pre-service
teachers used TI graphing calculators when they were high school students, the lack of
confidence to use them as teachers still existed.

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Research Design
Pre-service teachers awareness and development for effective use of technology
is crucial. The more they experience such technologies in a technology rich environment,
the more they tend to apply those practices in their future teaching (Foulger, Buss,
Wetzel, & Lindsey, 2012). Given an example of applying the TPCK model to pre-service
mathematics teacher education, I would like to present several research studies focusing
on investigation of helping improve mathematics content teaching, utilizing technologybased enhancements.
Researchers discuss that while the common way for teachers learn science and
mathematics was to use paper and pencil, now they are confronted with learning about
teaching with newer technologies (Niess, Van Zee, & Gillow-Wiles, 2010). This study
proposes approaches to extend teacher candidates PCK for teaching science and
mathematics to a technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge (TPACK) for integrating
dynamic instructional tools into teaching and learning.
Chai, Koh, & Tsai (2010) follow the discussion by suggesting professional
development opportunities to facilitate pre-service teachers development of TPACK.
The proposed professional development includes ICT courses in which teachers were
directly instructed for the use of technological tools through the technology-enhanced
lessons approach. They found that such courses provided pre-service teachers with
practical learning of pedagogical approaches and were efficient for increasing their TK
(technology knowledge) and PK (pedagogical knowledge) respectively.

Research Questions

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After discussing a few recent articles about applying the TPACK model to pre-service
mathematics teacher education, the following research question is asked for further
investigation:

How does a technology integrated methods course prepare pre-service teachers to

use technology in future teaching?

Methods
This study is designed for a group of pre-service teachers who enroll in a
semester-long mathematics teaching methods course at an urban university. Using the
TPACK framework, a methods course is redesigned to prepare pre-service teachers for
technology integration. The instructor(s) place considerable emphasis on the use of such
technologies in the teaching and learning of mathematics. To investigate the research
question, some research instruments are developed: Survey with open-ended questions,
pre and post-tests, and final assessment project. Within the survey and pre and post-tests,
the goal is to analyze a change in pre-service teachers thinking of technology as a
supplementary tool to thinking of technology as a main tool for developing mathematical
understanding.
References
Chai, C. S., Koh, J. H. L., & Tsai, C. C. (2010). Facilitating Preservice Teachers'
Development of Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK).
Educational Technology & Society, 13(4), 63-73.

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Foulger, T. S., Buss, R. R., Wetzel, K., & Lindsey, L. (2012). Preservice Teacher E
Education Benchmarking a Standalone Ed Tech Course in Preparation for C
hange. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 29(2), 48-58.
Niess, M. L., van Zee, E. H., & Gillow-Wiles, H. (2010). Knowledge growth in teaching
mathematics/science with spreadsheets: moving PCK to TPACK through online p
professional development. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education,
27(2), 42+.