Evolution of Preparing Preservice and Inservice Teachers for Teaching Mathematics and Science With Appropriate Technologies

Abstract: Preservice and inservice teacher education programs have recently been directed toward the idea of developing the knowledge teachers need for teaching their content with technology – technological pedagogical content knowledge or TPCK. The challenge is to understand the nature of TPCK. During the last five years, more in depth analyses of the TPCK framework has been undertaken. Substantial qualitative differences in the preservice and inservice science and mathematics teachers ’ TPCK have resulted in proposal for five incrementally increasing levels of TPCK: recognizing, accepting, adapting, exploring and advancing. A pooled data analysis of multiple and varied inservice science and mathematics teacher education programs in developing their TPCK has extended the descriptions for each of the levels with the hope of clarifying the complexity of TPCK and providing guidance for teacher education programs in establishing learning experiences that support teachers in developing their TPCK. Beginning with 1980s, calculator and computer technologies became accessible for educational activities in elementary and secondary schools. These technologies were quickly recognized as bringing new and more powerful capabilities for doing mathematics and science. Of course a myriad of questions were raised about what mathematics and science might students do with the technologies. But, other questions were raised as serious concerns for teacher preparation programs. What knowledge do teachers need to teach mathematics or science with appropriate technologies? Does knowledge of the mathematics or science automatically include knowledge of incorporating the technologies in teaching and learning? How is this knowledge developed? Is learning about the capabilities of the technologies sufficient for developing the knowledge needed for applying these technologies for learning in mathematics or science