Vickrey, T., Golick, D., & Stains, M. (2018). Educational technologies and instructional practices in agricultural sciences: Leveraging the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework to critically review the literature. NACTA Journal, 62, 65–76.  

Abstract:

“Instructional technologies, such as interactive simulations and mobile devices, have become more common in higher education. We present a systematic review of the agricultural sciences literature (N=53) to characterize the kinds of instructional technologies that have been used and identify the extent to which agricultural sciences studies investigating instructional technologies have addressed the components of a broader Technology Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework targeting the meaningful integration of technology in instructional practices. Instructional technologies in the agricultural sciences typically consist of modular, multimedia resources (55%) and have been used to support learning diverse content areas. This literature emphasizes understanding and assessing students’ perceptions of learning technologies (82%) as well as utilizing affordances of technology, such as the ability to communicate from remote locations in real-time, to support collaboration among students. However, less attention has been given to understanding which technologies best support which specific agricultural science content. Finally, we identified important constructs, such as students’ perception of technology, that are addressed in the agricultural sciences literature but not currently represented within the TPACK framework. We suggest considerations for future use of the TPACK framework, as a means to guide researchers investigating the integration of technology in postsecondary courses.”