Influence of teacher dispositions on TPACK: Insights from pre-service EFL teacher education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17509/tt54xq47Keywords:
Dispositional factors, EFL, teacher dispositions, teacher education, technological pedagogical content knowledge, TPACKAbstract
Developing Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) in foreign teachers who teach a foreign language is essential for fostering effective learning experiences. While various factors influence teachers’ TPACK development, a significant gap remains in understanding how personal internal factors of technological, pedagogical, and subject-matter dispositions shape the growth in TPACK domains during the preparatory stages of the EFL teaching profession. This study employed a mixed-methods approach to examine the manifestation of technological, pedagogical, and subject-matter of English language dispositions and their impact on TPACK development among 29 Thai pre-service EFL teachers. Participants completed a 20-hour professional development workshop. Pre- and post-workshop self-evaluations were used to select ten participants, five with the highest and five with the lowest changes in self-evaluated TPACK scores, for classroom observations and interviews. Findings revealed significant development in TCK (81.67%), while TPK (24.67%) and overall TPACK (28.67%) were notably weaker. In addition, the study identified that a fixed mindset, limited subject-matter self-efficacy, and dependence on structured resources constrained PCK; cautious attitudes toward technology for content delivery hindered TCK; a preference for simplicity and familiar materials and an underestimation of students’ technology abilities impeded TPK; and resistance to digital collaboration and reluctance to embrace technology for assessment and feedback limited overall TPACK development. Positive dispositions toward technology aided TPACK integration but didn’t predict classroom practices. This research highlights key dispositional strategies for enhancing TPACK development in pre-service teachers, such as cultivating a growth mindset, fostering high expectations, acknowledging technology’s value, and balancing personal traits with professional competencies. To translate these strategies into practice, teacher education programs should embed positive dispositions into sustained, practice-based training that models adaptive material use and technology-supported pedagogy in authentic contexts.
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