Uncovering relations between self-reported TPACK and objective measures: accounting for experience

The technological pedagogical content knowledge framework (TPACK) is a widely adopted framework for describing teachers’ knowledge in the digital era. A great part of TPACK research relies on self-report, for which convergent validity with objective measures is mostly lacking. Yet triangulation studies have not considered how one’s experience may influence their knowledge self-assessment accuracy. This study attempts to account for experience in investigating the relations between self-reported TPACK and objective measures derived from lesson plan designs. Based on a sample of 337 preservice upper secondary teachers, we conducted two cluster analyses, one based on self-reported TPACK alone and one based on self-reported TPACK and years of experience. Thereafter, we used a subsample to investigate the relations between these groups and objective measures in their lesson plan, namely their learning objectives, based on Bloom’s revised taxonomy, and their planned activities, coded along ICAP. Finally, we used epistemic network analysis to visualize structural differences between groups. Findings indicated that in contrast to groups derived from TPACK alone, accounting for experience revealed patterns of positive relations between TPACK, experience, levels of cognitive abilities, and levels of intended engagement. These results suggest that accounting for experience in self-reported TPACK may offer a lens to bring relations with objective measures of lesson plans to the surface.