Integrating technology into instructional practices focusing on teacher knowledge

The research presented in this article addresses the matter of teacher training in technology and professional development, specifically in the scenario of an innovative project – Cl@sses 2.0 Action – promoted by the Italian Ministry of Education. Based on TPACK theoretical model (Mishra & Koehler, 2006) and LAT-Learning Activity Types (Harris & Hofer, 2009), the research inquiries into the level of TPACK development in a group of in-service teachers participating on a voluntary basis in order to find suitable ways to guide them in the integration of technology into their educational practices. The research involves two major threads of enquiry: 1) a survey of teachers’ knowledge of content, teaching and technology, and the relations among these areas; 2) an application of such knowledge through the design of teaching units. In the former case, an adaptation of the questionnaire elaborated by Shmidt and Colleagues (2009) was administered to 11 class councils (110 lower secondary school teachers). In the latter case, following the approach of Hofer and Harris (2010) with some adaptations, a planning grid was proposed to the same subjects, but a feedback of only 2 full class councils (22 teachers) was received. The research findings show some weaknesses not only in teachers’ technological knowledge, as literature highlights, but also in planning skills, mostly regarding teaching approaches, students’ activities and knowledge forms. The necessity to invest in teacher training as a whole – and not only in their technological competency – is suggested.