Examining the technological pedagogical content knowledge of physical education and sports teachers and teacher candidates in the scope of 21st century skills in terms of different variables

This study aimed to investigate the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) levels of Physical Education and Sports teachers within the context of 21st Century Skills, considering various demographic variables. Designed as a descriptive study using the survey model, the research sample included teachers working under the Turkish Ministry of National Education (MEB). Data were collected using the "21st Century Skills TPACK Scale," originally developed by Valtonen and co-authors and later adapted into Turkish by Alpaslan and co authors, with confirmed validity and reliability. SPSS 26 was used for statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize demographic data, and independent samples t tests were conducted to examine differences across groups. The results revealed that teachers' overall TPACK levels were high. Among the sub-dimensions, Pedagogical Knowledge and Content Knowledge had the highest mean scores. Male teachers scored significantly higher than female teachers in both overall and sub-dimension scores. Contracted teachers demonstrated lower TPACK levels compared to Expert teachers. Similarly, teachers with two years or less of experience scored significantly lower on the Content Knowledge and Pedagogical-Content Knowledge dimensions than those with over sixteen years of experience. Moreover, teachers who reported rarely using technology in their teaching had significantly lower TPACK scores than those who used it frequently. Additionally, strong and statistically significant positive correlations were found among all sub-dimensions. In conclusion, the findings indicate that TPACK levels vary significantly according to gender, experience, career stage, and frequency of technology use. These results underscore the importance of both professional experience and effective technology integration in enhancing TPACK competencies in Physical Education and Sports teaching. July 2025, 137 pages. Keywords: 21st century skills, TPACK, physical education and sports.