Professional Development to Support TPACK Technology Integration: The Initial Learning Trajectories of Thirteen Fifth- and Sixth-Grade Educators

Abstract

This study examined the initial learning trajectories of 13 upper elementary teachers as they developed technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) while participating in a 7-month professional development program focused on integrating technology into their classroom practice. The program was collaborative and non-prescriptive: teachers worked on self-chosen summer projects with flexible support from a university-based partner. A descriptive multicase study design was employed to track teachers' learning progressions. Data included interviews, surveys, digital artifacts, and researchers' notes and memos. During the program, teachers developed varying degrees of TPACK. Analyses distilled six initial TPACK learning trajectories.