Teaching expertise reconsidered: The Technology, Pedagogy, Content and Space (TPeCS) knowledge framework

Abstract

School practitioners are increasingly expected to lead construction projects in their schools to create future learning spaces (FLSs) that support learning in today’s networked society. This study examined the process by which practitioners of one school developed their readiness to incorporate an FLS into the school via a long‐lasting research–practice partnership (RPP) that focused on co‐designing learning materials for contemporary teaching. To conceptualize this process, we introduce the Technology, Pedagogy, Content and Space (TPeCS) knowledge framework, which expands current conceptualizations of teaching expertise by tying them into the emerging field of FLSs. We interpret practitioners’ learning within a series of action–reaction progressive developments along a two‐year timeline of the partnership. Visits to an FLS, where researchers modeled, coached and then faded their guidance along this timeline played a key role in practitioners’ development of readiness to incorporate an FLS into their school. The pedagogical domain was the most challenging among all the dimensions of TPeCS. We conclude that school practitioners’ involvement leading FLS endeavors within their schools can serve as an unprecedented opportunity for practitioners to develop contemporary teaching skills, with FLSs serving as ideal spaces that make pedagogy visible. Practitioner NotesWhat is already known about this topic School practitioners are increasingly expected to participate in construction/renovation projects of FLSs. Teaching expertise is often conceptualized in terms of technological, pedagogical and content knowledge (TPaCK). What this paper adds A novel framework for conceptualizing teaching expertise as the competence to flexibly use knowledge that combines technological, pedagogical, content and space (TPeCS) considerations. The pedagogical component within TPeCS has a bottleneck quality. Reducing pedagogical gaps accelerates the development of other TPeCS components. Visits to state‐of‐the‐art FLSs, involving modeling, coaching and fading of expert guidance can foster practitioners’ development of TPeCS knowledge and competencies, increasing their readiness to incorporate FLSs into their schools. FLSs and specifically the use of large digital displays are ideal for making pedagogy visible. Implications for practice and/or policy School practitioners can, and should, be key players in leading FLS endeavors within their schools. When appropriately guided, this can serve as an unprecedented opportunity for practitioners to develop contemporary teaching skills

Self-Perception of the Digital Competence of Educators during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Analysis of Different Educational Stages

“…For this reason, both the diagnosis that we carried out and the possible solutions that the results have allowed us to outline respond to the model that we believe in, which places teachers and students at the center of the teaching-learning process. It is not only a matter of using technological tools but also of thinking digitally and respecting the technical, cognitive, and socio-emotional dimensions, as well as putting technology at the service of pedagogy as advocated by models such as TPACK [75] or its TPeCS review [76]. Any pedagogical alternative to improve the Digital Competence of Educators must be carried out through different practices where the training in the educational centers will go through different stages of both technical and conceptual appropriation of the technology [77,78].…”

Self-Perception of Digital Competence of Educators During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Analysis of Different Educational Stages

“…For this reason, both the diagnosis that we carry out and the possible solutions that the results allow us to outline will respond to the model that we believe in, which places teachers and students at the centre of the teaching-learning process. It is not only a matter of using technological tools but of thinking digitally, respecting the technical, cognitive and socio-emotional dimensions [62], as well as putting technology at the service of pedagogy as advocated by models such as TPACK [63] or its TPeCS review [64]. Any pedagogical alternative to improve the Digital Competence of Educators must be carried out through different practices where the training in the educational centres will go through different stages of both technical and conceptual appropriation of the technology [65,66].…”

Los conocimientos tecnológicos, pedagógicos y de contenidos del profesorado universitario andaluz sobre las TIC. Análisis desde el modelo TPACK.

“…Finalmente, consideramos conveniente que se comiencen a desarrollar trabajos con la propuesta realizada por Kali et al (2019) denominada "Modelo TPeCS", que sugiere la contemplación de una nueva dimensión denominada espacio (ver Figura 2).…”