Discuss the TPACK framework for technology integration and

explain how it can impact teaching and learning.

The technological pedagogical content knowledge framework describes the kinds of
knowledge required by teachers for the successful integration of technology in
teaching. It suggests that teachers need to know about the intersections of technology,
pedagogy, and content, thus TPACK framework was introduced (Mishra and Koehler,
2006). With it, Mishra and Koehler, (2006) identified three primary forms of knowledge:
Content Knowledge (CK), Pedagogical Knowledge (PK), and Technological Knowledge
(TK). The TPACK Framework Explained (With Classroom Examples) is a
technology integration framework that identifies three types of knowledge
instructors need to combine for successful Ed-tech, integration technological, pedagogical,
and content knowledge. The TPACK framework, on the other hand, provides more of a map
for understanding how to integrate technology into the classroom effectively. It is against this
background that the research seeks to discuss the TPACK framework for technology
integration and explain how it can impact teaching and learning.

Key term definition

TPACK according to Wikipedia, The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge

framework describes the kinds of knowledge required by teachers for the successful
integration of technology in teaching.

To begin with, the influx of technologies like mobile computing and other smart devices into
classrooms, technology integration is becoming an important addition to teaching expertise.
Koehler and Mishra (2009) developed the Technological Pedagogical and Content
Knowledge (TPACK) framework for understanding several complex interacting dimensions
of how teachers can wisely integrate technology into innovative instruction. Teachers are an
important factor for schools to achieve connotative development and improve education
quality. Teachers’ development is a necessary guarantee for teaching reform and educational
innovation. Teachers’ knowledge is the basis for teachers to carry out teaching activities. The
composition and structure of teachers’ knowledge will directly affect teachers’ teaching
behavior and students’ learning effect. Since entering the new era, the continuous
development of informatization technology has put forward higher requirements for teachers’
knowledge structure and teaching ability. Only by actively adapting to technological changes
such as informatization, networking, and artificial intelligence (AI), then teachers can
effectively improve the quality of talent training and promote the vigorous development of
education (Allen, 2022).

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In addition, TPACK is a framework for teacher knowledge for technology integration called
technological pedagogical and content knowledge. At the heart of TPACK is the dynamic and
transactional relationship between content, pedagogy, and technology, yielding a distinct
body of knowledge as to how to teach with technology properly and how to wisely integrate
technology in teaching practice (Young & Slota, 2012).

Teachers must advance their knowledge of pedagogy, technology, and their subject areas if
they are to succeed in their careers. Teachers can stay current on changes in their fields,
incorporate cutting-edge technology and approaches into their lessons, and track
developments in their fields by employing information and communication technology. For
these reasons, technology is essential for enhancing teacher expertise (Sahin, 2011). Students'
interest in the subject increases when teachers incorporate technology into the classroom
(Schrum et al., 2007; Sweeder & Bednar, 2001). TPACK is not a novel idea and is not
someone's property. Many other intellectuals have stressed the fact that technological
knowledge cannot be seen as being independent of context and that it is essential to look at
how it relates to pedagogy and content. Academics and researchers are becoming more and
more impressed with the TPACK framework.

According to Jalette &Mullin (2019) the TPACK framework states that using certain
technical tools is the most efficient way to teach and guide students toward a deeper, more
holistic understanding of the subject matter. As a result, the TPACK framework combines
and reshapes the three knowledge categories of technological knowledge, pedagogical
knowledge, and content knowledge in various ways. Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK)
describes relationships and interactions between pedagogical approaches and pedagogical
practices broadly.

However technological content knowledge (TCK) emphasizes interrelations between specific

learning objectives and technologies. The relation and connection between particular
educational strategies and technology practices are termed to as technological pedagogical
knowledge (TPK). Then, these triangulate areas attempt to make up for TPACK, which takes
into account the relationships among all three areas and acknowledges that teachers are
managing this complex area. Since there was no other viable theory to explain or guide
effective educational technology integration, researchers Mishra and Koehler from Michigan
State University developed TPACK (Tran and Yukhymenko, 2012).

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Furthermore, Jeyaraj & Ramnath (2018) asserted that TPACK has evolved to be one of the
most well-known theories addressing the use of educational technology and its integration,
and it is extensively integrated into both academic and professional development initiatives.
Technology coordinators are education specialists who serve in a leadership position holding
a big picture of school’s or district’s technology implementation plan. The tech coordinator,
in general, should be prepared to help teachers, staff, administrators, and board of education
members use technology more effectively and meet the standards and goals laid out in the
district’s technology plan.

Most instructors and administrators recognize the benefits technology can have in the
classroom whether that be preparing students for a technology-driven world or helping to
simplify course, school, and district management. But too many views technology as a silver
bullet to the challenges they face. It’s sometimes assumed, consciously or not, that digital
tools alone can improve education (Baran, Chuang, & Thompson, (2011).

Knowledge learning is the core value pursuit of teachers’ development. The rapid, continuous
innovation and progress of informatization technology has reformed the education. With it,
teachers’ knowledge and ability need to be redefined and designed. Teachers’ technical
literacy has a direct impact on the behavioural intention of information-based teaching. The
main obstacle to the use of technology in classroom is the lack of technical knowledge and
skills. If teachers do not know how to operate technology, they will not use technology. One
should pay attention to the cultivation of teachers’ technical knowledge and help teachers
master the use of basic technology. At the same time, teachers should be encouraged and
supervised to apply the learned technical knowledge and skills to classroom teaching.

Therefore, for the promotion of educational informatization, one should pay particular
attention to improving teachers’ beliefs and attitudes toward the application of technology
teaching, so as to improve teachers’ intention of information-based teaching behaviour.
Today, informatization technology not only affects human thinking and behaviour but also
plays a great role in economic, cultural, and social activities. At present, informatization
technology has been widely used in the field of education at all levels.

With the more and more frequent application of digital technology for teaching in the
Information Age, teachers generally lack the experience of using digital technology in
teaching, which makes the professional knowledge of teachers difficult to meet the needs of
students growing up in the Information Age. Teachers’ development must pay attention to

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teachers’ existing experience, environment, and surrounding colleagues, which is a circular
process. Under the background of informatization, teachers in professional development must
think about and pay attention to the effective integration of technology, PCK, and teaching
method (Williams, 2017). That is, they ought to possess a professional knowledge:
technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK). The hierarchical structure of
traditional education (see Figure 1) is a dull and inappropriate structure. Learning under
traditional education is always passive, and it is difficult to support today’s learners to have
rich knowledge, complex thinking ability, and cooperation ability.

Contrary, TPACK is an important framework for reshaping teachers’ professional

development experience (Robertson, 2012). Restructuring teachers’ knowledge development
in pre-service and in-service teacher education to adapt to TPACK is a logical step in teacher
education reform. Actually, the framework of TPACK is based on the concept of PCK.
TPACK is the basis for teachers to use technology for effective teaching. It has become a
more and more important mission for today’s mathematics teachers to exert their imagination
on the connection between technology and teaching, judge the advantages of relevant
teaching strategies, and integrate all factors to achieve an effective mathematics class
(Davison, 2021).

Yurdakul (2012) asserted that it’s easy to think that adding a great LMS to a class strategy is
going to enhance learning. However, TPACK shows teachers that there’s a relationship
between technology, content, and pedagogy, and the purposeful blending of them is key.

TPACK framework is based on three primary forms of knowledge, which are as follow:

Content Knowledge (CK): what are you teaching and what is your own knowledge of the
subject? For this lesson, you’ll need a solid understanding of cell anatomy and processes.

Pedagogical Knowledge (PK): how do your students learn best and what instructional
strategies do you need to meet their needs and the requirements of the lesson plan? In this
case, you’ll need to understand best practices for teaching middle school science and small
group collaboration.

Technological Knowledge (TK): what digital tools are available to you, which do you know
well enough to use, and which would be most appropriate for the lesson at hand? For this
lesson, students will need to label a diagram and present, so the ability to fill in blanks with
an answer key, find images from the internet, create slides, etc. are important.

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Nevertheless, TPACK can be a helpful mantra urging teachers to step back and look at their
whole strategy and the nuanced connections between all of its moving parts. In a study
conducted by the ASCILITE (Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary
Education, 2022), researchers found that the TPACK framework enhanced teacher
candidates’ ability to use technology in their learning and later in their professions.

“This present understanding of the use of TPACK,” exclaimed Maor (2022) explains, “also
paves the way for educators to engage students in collaborative learning and to develop the
concept of digital pedagogies. Digital pedagogies may be the concept that can encompass all:
teaching approach, students’ attitudes, and desired learning outcomes.”

Maor (2022, pg. 221) also says that the framework should also be used to develop new forms
of professional development “to promote a better understanding of the synergy between
technology and pedagogy.” Given its potential impact on teachers, teacher training,
professional development, and student outcomes, claiming that TPACK is an important
concept in education may be an understatement.

According to Maor (2022), a language teacher can choose to conduct an interactive teaching-
learning session for teaching using her pedagogical knowledge (PK). As an example, she
selects to use an interactive whiteboard and applies her pedagogy content knowledge (PCK),
technology knowledge (TK), and technology content knowledge to generate statements that
are grammatically incorrect (TCK). She motivates her students to bring out the mistakes and
uses her knowledge of the subject to help them construct appropriate statements (CK). She
divides her class into small groups and provides computer systems to each group. She does
formative evaluation and notes the grades as the groups discuss, reach an understanding, and
rectify the grammatically incorrect sentences on their computers that are connected to the
computer.

In conclusion, by simply adding technology or ICT as a required subject in schools and

teacher preparation programs did not result in better teaching. In order to effectively integrate
ICT in the classroom, teachers must combine TPACK competencies for the particular subject
matter to be taught. Because they help future teachers and prepare them to become techno-
pedagogues, the TPACK competences are now critically important for teacher-educators and
teachers. Therefore, possibilities for teachers to gain practical and pedagogical skills through
the use of current technology during their teaching-learning process should be made
available.

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References

Baran, E., Chuang, H. H., & Thompson, A. (2011). TPACK: An emerging research and
development tool for teacher educators. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology-
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Karthick ISBN : 978-93-90627-28-8 52

Clark, C.M., & Peterson, P. (1986). Teachers' thought processes. In M.C. Wittrock (Ed.),
Handbook of research on teaching (3rd ed.; pp. 255-296). New York: Macmillan.

Graham, C. R. (2011). Theoretical considerations for understanding technological

pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK). Computers & Education, 57(3), 1953-1960.

Graham, R C., Burgoyne, N., Cantrell, P., Smith, L., St Clair, L., & Harris, R.
(2009).Measuring the TPACK confidence of inservice science teachers. TechTrends, 53(5),
70-79.

Jeyaraj. I & Ramnath.R, (2018). A Study on Technological Pedagogical and Content

Knowledge of B. Ed Student Teachers in Puducherry Region. World Wide Journal of
Multidisciplinary Research and Development. 4(1). pp. 306-308

Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is technological pedagogical content knowledge?
Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 9(1), 60-70.

Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is technological pedagogical content knowledge?
Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 9(1), 60-70.

Young, M.F., Slota, S., Cutter, A.B., Jalette, G., Mullin, G., Lai, B., Simeoni, Z., Tran, M.,
and Yukhymenko, M. (2012). Our princess is in another castle: A review of trends in serious
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