Examining teachers’ TPACK in using e-learning resources in primary science lessons

The advocates of technology in education have dramatically stirred up the life of teachers, requiring substantial changes to their practices and processes of teaching and learning. Yet, there are tendencies to merely introduce technology to teaching and learning without much understanding of the knowledge required for teachers to use the technology effectively and efficiently. This study refers to the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework to better understand the phenomenon of teachers’ integration of content knowledge, pedagogy, and technology in their teaching. In this study, e-learning resources of four science topics in Key Stage 2 of the Hong Kong primary curriculum have been designed and developed based on the resource-based e-learning environments (RBeLEs). A total of 19 teachers from six primary schools were invited to use these e-learning resources in their classrooms. Analysis of the teachers’ use of the e-learning resources can help to provide tangible understanding of how technology supports teaching and learning. The data collected included students’ pre/post lesson tests, lesson observations of teachers’ use of the e-learning resources, and teachers’ interview responses that provided useful information to enhance our understanding of how e-learning resources are used in primary classrooms. Copyright © 2015 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore.