In-service EFL Teachers’ Sociocultural-based TPACK Beliefs and Practices: Voice of Teachers and Students

Abstract

Many aspects of English as a foreign or second language (EFL/ESL) teachers and students’ technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) have been extensively studied. However, it has been relatively sparse regarding TPACK research on in-service EFL teachers’ online development programs reflected from the lens of a sociocultural approach. This mixed-methods design surveyed 125 in-service EFL teachers’ (53 males and 72 females, 39-47 years) and 375 students (177 males and 198 females, 17-19.4 years) to rate their in-service teachers’ beliefs sociocultural-based TPACK during their two semesters online professional development program. In-depth interviews with 25 teachers and 50 students were then conducted to draw their in-service teachers’ practices of sociocultural-based TPACK during online teaching practicum as part of their professional development program funded by the Indonesian Ministry of Education. The findings indicated that the in-service teachers had a high level of pedagogical, technological content knowledge but their sociocultural TPACK practices were restricted school-based cultural interactions because of their low understanding of cultural concepts during the online professional development program. Teachers’ low understanding of sociocultural conceptions, limited experiences, and access to wider cultural communities became the main barriers for the implementation of sociocultural-based TPACK. Successful practice, challenges, and future prospects regarding the implementation of sociocultural-based TPACK were also discussed in the study.