Exploring Teachers’ Use of Technological Pedagogical Knowledge in Teaching Subjects in Rural Areas

Abstract

Aim/Purpose: The current study explored how Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK) influences teachers’ delivery of subject content. Background: The potential value of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) devices is lost if teachers do not integrate them into their instructional practices. Technological Pedagogical Knowledge is one of the components of Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK), and it can assist teachers in providing learners with the best classroom learning environment while integrating digital devices in the delivery of lessons. Methodology: The descriptive qualitative multiple case study was conducted at five secondary schools in the rural Bojanala District. Five teachers from five schools voluntarily participated in semi-structured interviews and a document analysis. The thematic analysis of the collected data informed the results of this study. Contribution: This study contributes to the identification and exploration of the role of TPK in enhancing the integration of 4IR devices into rural secondary schools’ instructional practices. Findings: The study reveals the limited integration of digital devices in teaching due to a lack of infrastructure, a lack of comprehensive understanding of TPK, and the absence of information and communication technologies (ICT) policies at the school level. By analyzing existing policies (or the lack thereof), the study could explain the disconnect between the integration of TPK. Recommendations for Practitioners: Teachers need to be capacitated through follow-up intervention professional development to bridge the gap between understanding TPK and the integration of different digital devices in delivering subject content. Prior to integrating digital devices into teaching and learning practices, teachers must develop or have access to ICT policies and guidelines. Recommendation for Researchers: The results indicate that even a limited understanding of TPK can motivate teachers to incorporate different strategies brought by 4IR in delivering their lessons, and this needs to be explored further. Impact on Society: Targeted TPK training and follow-up sessions can further equip teachers with the necessary 4IR transformative skills to design and deliver lessons that effectively prepare learners for the 21st-century real-world work environment. The efforts would assist learners from rural areas schools to benefit from the available technology. Future Research: The study emphasizes the need for further research to expand the global understanding of strategies for enhancing teachers’ TPK, thus contributing to the broader academic discourse on technology integration in education.