Investigation of the role of teachers and perceptions of teaching practices in online learning environments and their tpack levels

The aim of this study is to reveal the perceptions of teachers taking part, in K-12 level throught Turkiye, regarding their online roles and teaching practices and their Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) levels. Furthermore, it was aimed to investigate the relationship between teachers' TPACK level and online instructor role perceptions. In the research conducted using the correleational survey method, the sample group was determined as teachers serving at public and private educational institutions affiliated to the Ministry of National Education throughout Turkiye. Appropriate sample was used while determining the sample group. In total, 576 teachers from various branches participated in the research. 338 of them were male and 238 were female. The research data were collected online through online form on a voluntary basis in the 2020-2021 academic year. Perceptions and Practices of Online Educators Towards Online Teaching and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge scales were used as the data collection tools. While the scale of "Online Educator's Perceptions and Practices Towards Online Teaching" is a four -point likert type, it consists of a total of 40 items and seven factors: instructional design, facilitating learning, learning assesment, technology usage, practice method content expertise, and research & development; The "TPACK" scale, on the other hand, is a four-point likert type and consists of a total of 37 items and seven factors; technology knowledge, content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, technological pedagogical knowledge, technological content knowledge and technological pedagogical content knowledge. Within the scope of the research, answers were searched for six sub-problems in total. According to the findings obtained from the research data, teachers' perceptions of online educators roles and online teaching practices were generally high. Content expertise and instructional design are the areas in which teachers see themselves most competent in their perceptions of online trainer roles; it has been concluded that the area they deem the most inadequate is the use of technology. It was concluded that there was no difference according to their gender, the type of institution they work in (primary school, secondary school, high school, other), branches (preschool, class, branch and vocational courses). On the other hand, it was concluded that it has differentiated significantly in terms of the variable of educational status (undergraduate, graduate), the variable of professional experience and the place of residence (province, district, village-town) to which the institution they work for. While the teachers' TPACK levels are generally high, the areas in which they consider themselves most adequate among TPACK components are content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge; it has been concluded that the areas in which they are most inadequate are technology knowledge and technological pedagogical knowledge. When TPACK levels of teachers are examined in terms of same demographic variables; gender, the type of institution they work at (primary school, secondary school, high school, other), branch (preschool, classroom, branch and vocational courses), professional experience the location of the institution they work at (province, district, village-town) it has been understood that it has not differentiated significantly. It was seen that there was significant difference according to their status (undergraduate, graduate). Furthermore, it has been determined that there is a positive correlation between teachers' TPACK levels and their perceptions of online educator roles and online teaching practices. Additionally, it was concluded that teachers' TPACK levels predict their perceptions of online educators roles and online teaching practices at a high level. As a result of this research, it is understood that teachers' TPACK levels and role perceptions in an online learning environment were generally high. While teachers see themselves as adequate in tasks related to course content in both online educator roles and TPACK sub-dimensions, they perceive themselves as inadequate in terms of technology knowledge and usage. Furthermore, it has been concluded that teachers' TPACK levels affect their online trainer role perceptions at a high level and largely explain their online educator role perceptions. Based on the results obtained it is seen that teachers need support in terms of technology knowledge and use of technology in online learning environments.