Developing technological pedagogical content knowledge of Turkish pre-service teachers of English through a design study

The present study investigates the development of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) of Turkish pre-service teachers of English through a design study. More specifically, the study aims to examine how a coursework explicitly focusing on the framework of TPACK and designed following the Learning Technology by Design approach helps develop the TPACK of Turkish pre-service teachers of English who were given the opportunity to apply what they learned in their coursework to their field-experience.The following research questions guided this study.1.Will there be a significant change in the TPACK (TK, TCK, TPK and TPACK) of pre-service teachers of English as they participate in a design study?2.Will pre-service teachers? TPACK be reflected in their instructional practices?Twenty-two pre-service teachers of English enrolled at the English Language Teaching Department of Marmara University, Turkey, participated in this study. For the purposes of the present study, PTs received the specifically designed coursework as a treatment for 12 weeks.For the treatment, the TPACK framework was applied and the Learning Technology by Design theory was adapted to the context. Coursework and fieldwork were combined and certain types of experiences and learnings were planned to bring the TPACK. The course design attempted to adhere to the following four principles: (1) design tasks were problem-centred (Merrill, 2002); (2) skills were developed via Learning Technology by Design Approach (Mishra & Koehler, 2006); (3) PTs worked collaboratively (socio-cultural theory); and (4) PTs engaged in reflective practice (Schon, 1983).Quantitative data coming from the pre- and post-test scores of 22 PTs collected by the Survey of Pre-service Teachers? Knowledge of Teaching and Technology (Schmidt, et al., 2009) revealed statistically significant development in the TPACK and its technology related components for all participating PTs.Qualitative data obtained from the written reflections and interviews of the six cases purposefully chosen among the 22 PTs also supported this finding and showed that, as the study progressed, PTs began to consider the relationship among content, pedagogy and technology. Further analysis of the cases? lesson plans and macro teaching observations also proved that PTs? developed TPACK was reflected in their lesson plans and practice teaching during the practicum.Hence, the results of the study indicated that a coursework combined with fieldwork, following the TPACK framework and based on Learning Technology by Design Approach can be utilized as an effective program in universities to develop PTs? subject-specific technology integration skills.