TPACK and individual innovativeness: A study on middle school mathematics teachers in Turkey

This research examines the correlation between middle school mathematics educators' Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) and their individual innovativeness. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, utilising correlational and causal-comparative designs in the quantitative phase, and semi-structured interviews in the qualitative phase. The sample included 130 mathematics teachers from both public and private schools in Istanbul who volunteered for participation. Teachers administered the TPACK Scale (Kabakçı Yurdakul et al., 2012) and the Turkish version of the Individual Innovativeness Scale (Kılıçer & Odabaşı, 2010). The quantitative analysis revealed a significant positive correlation (r ≈ .63) between TPACK and innovativeness, indicating that teachers exhibiting greater innovativeness also show enhanced levels of technological pedagogical integration. No notable gender differences were identified; nonetheless, teaching experience proved to be a significant factor. Teachers possessing over 20 years of experience exhibited markedly lower scores in TPACK and innovativeness when contrasted with their counterparts having 0–10 and 11–20 years of experience. During the qualitative phase, interviews were conducted with four teachers exhibiting varying levels of TPACK and innovativeness, drawn from both public and private schools. Thematic analysis identified five primary themes: institutional budget, technology ownership, device update frequency, internet application use, and internet usage habits. The findings indicate that technology integration is influenced not only by individual knowledge and willingness but also by contextual factors, including institutional support, resource accessibility, and teachers' motivation and attitudes. The study highlights the significance of developing technological knowledge and innovative dispositions among teachers. Systematic professional development and well-structured in-service training programs are crucial for improving teachers' capacity to effectively integrate digital tools into mathematics instruction.