Instructors’ perspectives of TPACK in a vocational training classroom in Namibia

Abstract

Over time, vocational education has undergone a paradigm shift due to the integration of technology into teaching and learning. This change renders it necessary for vocational training instructors to have technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) for effective technology adoption and integration into teaching and student learning. However, developing competence in the intersection of technology, pedagogy and content remains a challenge for many lecturers entering vocational education. Instructors’ decisions to integrate technology depend on their perceptions of TPACK, which can influence their approach to integrating technology into teaching. This study is part of a longitudinal study that has been examining instructors’ development of TPACK in vocational education in Namibia. Using a qualitative approach and the TPACK framework, data were collected through questionnaires and focus-group interviews. The data were analysed thematically using Nvivo software. The findings reveal that instructors’ teaching experience expands their knowledge beyond technology integration, leading to a new understanding of TPACK constructs. In addition, the study shows that their disposition towards TPACK shifts with access to teaching technologies and that students’ learning needs inform Instructors’ TPACK. The study offers insights into the ways in which vocational education instructors integrate their teaching experience with technologies and relate that to the TPACK framework constructs.

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“…Shulman [100] introduced the concept of 'Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge' (TPACK) for instructors, referring to their ability to effectively integrate technology into teaching methods while considering content and pedagogy [101]. Research suggests that instructors with developed TPACK skills can use various technological tools to present information and assess students' comprehension [102]. Moreover, instructors with adequate TPACK skills demonstrate a deep understanding of student challenges and can effectively address them.…”