Intrapersonal Factors Affecting Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Oklahoma Agricultural Education Teachers

Abstract

The focus of this exploratory study was to examine intrapersonal factors as well as levels of technology integration and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) in preservice and inservice agricultural education teachers in Oklahoma. Data were collected using a combination of an online survey and a paper survey and distributed to 426 agricultural education teachers in Oklahoma schools and approximately 130 agricultural education students at Oklahoma State University. Data analysis included the use of descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings of this study suggest that the intrapersonal factors of self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and interest, interact with teacher motivation to integrate technology and influence their Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. Further, the results suggest that experienced inservice teachers view technology tools as a mechanism to engage students and achieve instructional gains, whereas novice and preservice teachers tend to see technology tools primarily as a mechanism for improving classroom management. Implications include continuing to support and enact a shift in preservice teacher education from direct lecture and modeling-based instruction to more hands-on, constructivist methods of teaching that incorporate a variety of mastery experiences.