Technology-Supported Learning Environment to Improve Higher-
Order Thinking Experience of Social Science Teachers TPCK for the
21st Century Learning
Punaji Setyosari, Taufik Ikhsan Slamet, Saida Ulfa, Herlina Ike Oktaviani
Educational Technology, Universitas Negeri Malang, Malang, Indonesia.
Keywords: Teachers Profiles, TPCK, 21
st
Century Learning, Teacher Professional Development
Abstract: Technology-supported learning is intended to facilitate students with dozen of experiences which guide them
to build their self–regulated learning and higher-order thinking. While technology are potential to bring
meaningful learning activities, teachers typically only use drill and practice technique which has been proven
that is not sufficient to improve students higher-order thinking skill. Even more, technology brings some
negative effect when it is associated by the use of drill and practice technique. In today’s professional teacher
development strategies, our education system faces a great need in improving the teacher’s capability to
integrate technology-mediated learning in their teaching. This demand requires a guideline which effectively
and efficiently lead policy maker to conduct feasible policy and appropriate strategy. TPCK framework as a
basis of measurement and assessment of teacher’s professional skills has been used in many studies in many
countries across the continents. It has successfully predicted the level of technology, pedagogy, and content
comprehension of teachers and provided worthwhile information for the condition. TPCK is not only used as
a framework to measure, but also it plays important role in developing critical skills of teaching. The genuine
goal of education system nowadays and the future is knowledge building. In supporting to the goal, TPCK
positively bring strong advantages to assess, measure, and provide guideline in improving quality of teacher’s
professional development actions.
1 INTRODUCTION
This paper is aimed to provide the basis of theory and
comprehensive studies answering the needs of TPCK
framework in 21st century learning. As we have
acknowledged that technological pedagogical content
knowledge (TPCK) has been widely used as a
framework which provides explanation the level of
technology utilization of teachers when deliver
instruction (Mishra and Koehler, 2006; Cox and
Graham, 2009). Teachers are required to be aware
and master this framework in order to create
instructional design based on integrated technology
(Yang, Cho and Kim, 2016). In the previous few
years, the notion of TPCK has been spreading and
being adopted by many countries to understand and
enhance teachers’ ability to integrate information
communication technology (ICT) (Chai, Koh and
Tsai, 2013). It is also a spirit to pursue learning
process becoming the place of production of
advanced creative thinking as the result of students
sharing the ideas, experience, and knowledge
independently in order to achieve great results
(Nelson, Christopher and Mims, 2009). Realizing the
goal of creating learning environment which enable
students to engage in knowledge building, teachers
should master three specific components in TPCK
framework. The framework is based on the three
elements and its interplay, including technological,
pedagogical, and content aspects.
The framework is divided into two main
categories, including elementary and secondary
forms. Theoretically, content knowledge (CK),
pedagogical knowledge (PK), and technological
knowledge (TK) play as main categories in the
framework, while pedagogical content knowledge
(PCK), technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK),
and technological content knowledge (TCK) form as
secondary knowledge. TPCK then as a result of
integration of the three elements as an indicator to
combine the whole knowledge (Yang, Cho and Kim,
2016). The definition from (Mishra and Koehler,
2006) provides the core concept of each element in
Setyosari, P., Slamet, T., Ulfa, S. and Oktaviani, H.
Technology-Supported Learning Environment to Improve Higher-Order Thinking Experience of Social Science Teachers TPCK for the 21st Century Learning.
DOI: 10.5220/0008407500410046
In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Learning Innovation (ICLI 2018), pages 41-46
ISBN: 978-989-758-391-9
Copyright
c
 2019 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved
41

the following points (Dong et al., 2015), which given
in basis of 21st century learning (21CL) (Kereluik et
al., 2013). (Rosenberg and Koehler, 2015) illustrate
the inter-connection of the three elements as shown in
the following figure. In the centre of the figure shows
that TPCK as a result of the inter-connection of three
elements as mentioned above. The figure represents
that the whole inter-correlation among the three main
elements of TPCK, resulting three secondary element
and one core competency of technology integration in
teaching. The combinations which overlap each other
produce new basis of knowledge (Benson and Ward,
2013). First, TPK addresses the ways how technology
can be used to promote pedagogy process in teaching
events. Second, PCK describes the competency in
using adequate pedagogy strategy to facilitate
specific learning subject. Finally, the last element is
TCK, which is considered as the knowledge and skills
in using technology to deliver specific subject
knowledge (Mishra and Koehler, 2006).
As shown the Figure 1, teachers need to master
technology and use it in developing content. In
addition, they are required to integrate it in delivering
content to facilitate learning process. By integrating
technology into the learning process allows the
quality of learning and in turn can improve learner
learning outcomes. That is the importance of TPCK
in the contexts of teacher professional development.
As we know that teachers need to be prepared to face
the 21st century learning environment. Learning the
21st century is full of challenges and can occur in the
rapid changes.
Figure 1: The TPCK framework (Rosenberg and Koehler,
2015).
2 INSUFFICIENCY OF
TEACHER’S TPCK
DEVELOPMENT IN
INDONESIA
The teacher professional development programs is
aimed to help teachers developing beliefs that are
consistent with the needs of the current or new
educational system related to educational technology
(Dong et al., 2015). However, even the notion of
technology is as a potential opportunity to bring
meaningful learning activities, teachers commonly
use drill and practice technique in technology-
supported teaching.
The lack of technique in the use of technology in
teaching in found to impact negatively learners
perception on technology (Urbina and Polly, 2017).
The strong interplay is found between the advance of
technology and the knowledge of using technology.
In this correlation, teachers or policy must be aware
to select proper approach and technology to deliver
learning materials. TPCK is depicted as a form of
knowledge creation (Mishra and Koehler, 2006; Tee
and Lee, 2011) which teachers should consider all the
aspects of student’s psychology and facilities, such as
student’s mental readiness, student’s prior
knowledge, appropriate teaching approach, and
school technological environments, before the
teachers make decisions about the specific material,
approach, and tools will be used (Dong et al., 2015).
Technology supported students’ learning
prepared them to for the future career where
information technology is the way of life. However,
due to the effectiveness and efficiency of the use of
technology, the demand to provide proper support for
teachers to integrate technology into their teaching
meaningfully is highly still necessary (Urbina and
Polly, 2017). In terms of teacher’s professional
development program, ICT plays important content
knowledge which should be delivered where teachers
is conditioned as adults learners and be conducted in
constructivist instructional approach to create
meaningful program (Hawley and Valli, 1999; Garet
et al., 2001; Desimone, 2009). This factor is
considered crucial regarding teacher’s belief on their
willingness to involve and actively participate in the
program will determine and shape the kinds of
technology integration they use (Ertmer, 1999; Voogt
et al., 2013). Most importantly, ICT-related teacher
PD needs to be seen as a systematic effort by taking
into consideration teachers’ contextual factors in the
PD design to influence changes in teachers’
ICLI 2018 - 2nd International Conference on Learning Innovation
42

classroom practices to enhance student learning
(Guskey, 2000; Desimone, 2009).
In Indonesia education context, the issue of
integrating technology in improving the quality of
teacher’s professional development has also intrigued
some scholars and policy makers. This can be seen
through the issuance of the law concerning the
position of teachers and lecturers which is known as
The Teachers and Lecturers Act (Depdiknas, 2005).
The act explains the systems of teacher education,
teacher recruitment and teacher career development
which requires teachers to continuously develop their
professionalism in relation to their teaching
profession (Irmawati, Widiati and Cahyono, 2017).
Despite of technology knowledge (TK) issue, various
certification programs and training conducted by
local governments has not yet been considered to be
effective and efficient strategy to increase teacher’s
knowledge and improve competence (Rahman et al.,
2015). A research organized by World Bank
confirmed that teachers in Indonesia are still
struggling to comprehend the sufficient content
knowledge in their subject (CK) (Chang et al., 2014).
It is the reason why policy maker and schooling
systems have increased their attention to initiate other
proper alternative to conduct teacher’s PD program
(Santoro et al., 2012). After all, it is believed that
effective instructional practice is affected by proper
PD program and such growth is likely to contribute to
progress of students’ learning performances (Wei et
al., 2009; Goodwin and Kosnik., 2013; Barlow et al.,
2014).
The most appropriate strategy that Indonesia
government has taken is to create minimum education
requirement for in-service teachers which is 4-year
bachelor degree in education and have teaching
certificates (Supriatna, 2011). With this requirement,
pre-service teachers are able to apply for teacher
positions, and after 10-year experience as teacher,
they are allowed to take an assessment entitled
certification assessment to gain professional teacher
status. The success of passing the requirement of the
test will benefit them economically and guarantee
them promising tenure track. Further, (Supriatna,
2011) states that this strategy reveals some serious
problems due to the weakness of the government in
preparing system to regularly maintain teacher’s
performance after completing certification. One of
the most appealing and critical is that after two or
three years doubling the pay led to no improvements
in measures of teacher effort or students learning
outcomes. The strategy only successfully improved
teacher satisfaction with their income, reduced the
incidence of teachers holding outside jobs, and
reduced self-reported financial stress (De Ree et al.,
2015).
Teaching profession in Indonesia is recently
known as a one of promising careers, despite the
problems occurred in recent decades about the
inequality and quality of its services. Teachers
professional development program which has been
conducted by the local government and any training
organization have not yet resulted positive outcome
for the teacher’s performance in teaching, and
furthermore, for the improvement of student’s
learning outcomes. Many elements contribute to the
condition, such as economic, social, infrastructure,
policy, and even administrative system (i.e.
curriculum). Many studies also have been provided to
improve the teaching quality based on the TPCK
framework, commonly they are completed within a
specific area of subject teaching (i.e. English, Math,
and Science). The demand of the empiric profiles of
teachers based on TPCK framework is constantly
high, due to the nature of teacher professional
development is dynamic.
3 TEACHER’S PERFORMANCE
INDICATOR FOR 21ST
CENTURY LEARNING
In this rapid development of information technology,
teachers are obligated to design and deliver learning
approach which is capable to improve student’s
critical and creative thinking. The optimal
development of these types of mental skill will lead
students to build their 21st century competencies
(Howland, Jonassen and Marra, 2012). In order to
design 21st learning approach, teachers should
consider the TPCK framework as a guideline of skills
that needed to be mastered. Commonly, teachers have
mastered the skills in partial aspects, but not in
integrated application and utilization. Since the
demands of educational legislation, school
administration, classroom culture, and students
characteristics in multilevel education system are
getting complicated (Chai, Koh and Tsai, 2013), the
TPCK framework should be the most feasible
guideline to run the comprehensive teacher’s
professional development program.
4 THE CONTEXT DEMAND IN
TPCK RESEARCH
Research in TPCK has been considerably conducted
in many discipline of knowledge, philosophically,
methodically, and practically. Research in
Technology-Supported Learning Environment to Improve Higher-Order Thinking Experience of Social Science Teachers TPCK for the 21st
Century Learning
43

philosophical point of view (Angeli and Valanides,
2009; Graham, 2011) has provided us the basis of
knowledge building among the integrative seven
elements of its components, where they found that the
areas of knowledge in TPCK framework are
indistinguishable and holistic (Rosenberg and
Koehler, 2015). Researchers and education scientist,
especially in Indonesia for a recent decade have
begun to explore the potency of TPCK as a basis to
provide significant information for policy maker in
education, particularly for measuring and conducting
teacher’s professional development strategies
(Mahdum, 2015; Cahyono, Kurnianti and
Mutiaraningrum, 2016; Ciptaningrum, 2017; Drajati
et al., 2018).
Meanwhile, TPCK studies in the methodically
view provided us with several of test involving
validity, reliability, and factor analysis to provide
empirical proof and standardized TPCK instruments
(Valtonen et al., 2015; Baser, Kopcha and Ozden,
2016; Tondeur et al., 2017). These studies were
established across the ocean, from Asia, America, and
Europe. The results revealed that the instruments of
TPCK were influenced by the context where the study
conducted. Variables, such as respondents age,
experiences, background of studies, culture, and
education system, played important factors which
determined the validity and reliability of the
instrument, and the test structure based on the factor
analysis.
Lastly, TPCK studies have been also performed in
education practices, such as teacher’s perception
(Koh and Chai, 2014; Sancar Tokmak, 2015) and
developing learning activities based on TPCK
framework (Baran and Uygun, 2016; Harris and
Hofer, 2016). In teacher’s belief, the studies revealed
that teacher’s with strong beliefs in constructivist
learning approach tended to be more engaged into
program actively, rather than teacher’s who prefer
independent study. This result proved that teachers
should be put as adult in training programs, they need
to be given more spaces to overcome barriers and find
a way to overcome challenges (Ward and Parr, 2010;
Niess, 2013). However, even there are some
researches supporting the benefit of using TPCK
framework as tools to describe capability of using
technology in teacher’s teaching strategy. Yet, there
is still lack of studies which comprehensively reveals
how this framework can be implemented to develop
teaching strategy in different context of purpose, such
as formal and non-formal education. This problem
occurs because of the incomplete of profound data
regarding the profiles of teacher’s TPCK skills.
Studies on teacher’s TPCK profiles will inform
significant information for policy makers in order to
develop teacher’s development program. The basis of
information will be related to integrated focus on
technology, pedagogy, and content (Benson and
Ward, 2013). The profiles theoretically will provide
consideration to the curriculum of the program, which
materials should be delivered, what type of training
delivery should be conducted, and what kind of
learning experiences should the participants engage.
In conducting research to explore the profiles of
teachers based on TPCK point of view, it is important
to establish the metrics to measure the level of
comprehension. For examples, the TPCK profiles can
be classified to different level of mastery, from the
basic to advance. Study by (Niess, 2013) has served
us with the metrics of TPCK competencies equipped
by its descriptor for each category. However, there is
no limitation to expand the new categories for level
mastery of TPCK competencies. Researchers are able
to develop their own categories since the context of
research plays very important role for generalization
of the research.
5 CONCLUSION
The Indonesia teacher professional development
program has been conducted whether by the local
governments or any training organizations have not
yet resulted positive outcome for the teacher’s
performance in teaching, and furthermore, for the
improvement of student’s learning outcomes. In
preparing and to design 21
st
learning approach,
teachers should consider the TPCK framework as a
guideline of skills that needed to be mastered.
In essence, to support teacher professional
development regarding to social science teachers
TPCK, it is necessary to integrate technology-
enhanced learning environment. Hence, teacher will
be ready to face the rapid change and challenging
world. TPCK is not only used as a framework to
measure, but also it plays important role in
developing critical skills of teaching. The genuine
goal of education system nowadays and the future is
knowledge building.To support this goal, TPCK
positively bring strong advantages to assess, measure,
and provide guideline in improving quality of
teacher’s professional development actions.
ICLI 2018 - 2nd International Conference on Learning Innovation
44

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