Abstract:

The aim of this study is to determine preschool teacher candidates' technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) levels and their perceptions of the concepts of "technology" and "use of technology" through metaphors. The sample of the study consists of 134 pre-service teachers studying at the first, second, third and fourth grade levels at a foundation university. Mixed research design, in which quantitative and qualitative research techniques are used together, was used. The data collection process took place in the spring term of 2021-2022. A form consisting of two parts was applied to the teacher candidates. In the first part of the form, there is the “TSI-TPACK” scale form, and in the second part there is the metaphor creation form. The metaphor creation form consists of two open-ended questions that include “Technology is like/similar because …” and “Technology use is like/similar because …”. While the data obtained from the TCI-TPACK scale were analyzed with descriptive statistics, the created metaphors were analyzed with the content analysis method. According to statistical results, pre-service teachers' technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) levels were found to be high. Technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) levels increased as the grade level increased, and a significant difference was found in favor of fourth graders in terms of TPACK level. The most metaphors related to the concepts of technology and technology use were gathered in the categories of "benefit-harm", and the second most metaphors in the categories of "with its positive aspect". As a result of the study, the TPACK levels of the teacher candidates who had positive perceptions about the concepts of technology and technology use were also found to be high.

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