Ripka, G. (2023). Promoting pre-service teachers’ TPACK development in social virtual reality: Practice- and theory-oriented development and evaluation of a pedagogical concept for initial teacher education [Doctoral thesis, Würzburg University]. Online Publication Service of Würzburg University. https://doi.org/10.25972/OPUS-31291

Abstract:

“The everyday use of digital media by children and young people offers new opportunities for participation, communication, and collaboration. However, to fully exploit this potential and prepare youths for the risks and challenges of media usage, the promotion of the digital competencies of students and teachers is an indispensable goal for educational institutions.

To meet this requirement, teacher education must be opened to innovative pedagogical concepts for initial teacher education that considers new technologies in a reflective, action-oriented way to promote competencies. Therefore, this work aims to promote the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) of prospective teachers that enables the purposeful integration of social virtual reality (Social VR) into the classroom. Consequently, a pedagogical concept is developed and evaluated in an iterative research and development process following the design- based research approach (DBR) through four consecutive studies.

The beginning of this paper introduces the theoretical approaches and concepts that form the foundation of the studies. First, TPACK is presented as a meta-conceptual awareness and target perspective for the successful integration of social VR into the classroom. To meet these requirements, the potential affordances of social VR for teaching and learning processes are outlined through a theoretical perspective. For the design and development of a pedagogical concept considering theoretical foundations and practical experiences, DBR is described as framing the work concerning research methodology.

Following DBR, Study 1 analyses and explores the existing expectations and requirements of lecturers and students regarding the goal-oriented use of social VR in the classroom. Hence, qualitative interviews were conducted with both target groups, lecturers, and students. The results show important contextual factors, such as an increased need for the supervision and support of both groups in using social VR hardware and software. Furthermore, lecturers and students want disruption-free communication and interaction processes in social VR. To address both aspects, support services, such as IT support, video tutorials, and abundant recovery breaks between teaching and learning processes are integrated as preliminary design features.

Study 2 analyzes how prospective teachers perceive teaching–learning activities in fully immersive social VR. Consequently, two teaching–learning scenarios based on the theory- driven pedagogical concept will be conducted. Qualitative interviews derived consequences for developing the pedagogical concept to promote TPACK among prospective teachers. For example, the concept design considers principles of action-oriented teaching, flipped classroom, and students’ cognitive relief through several breaks.

To develop the pedagogical concept and to concretize the design features, the third study investigates how students perceive teaching and learning processes in social VR compared to video-based communication. For the promotion of TPACK as metaconceptual awareness in social VR, the implementation of peer group supervision enables metacognitive teaching and learning processes, such as reflection and problem solving. To approach a robust intervention in an authentic setting, the seminar takes place remotely. As a central learning activity, learners create instructional designs in an iterative design process with which social VR can be used in an action-oriented manner. Qualitative data collection was conducted through guided student reflection videos and semi-structured group interviews. The results again demonstrate the necessity of breaks and runs of peer group supervision. Generally, balancing the presentation of pedagogical and technical stimuli and avoiding cognitive overload proved to be a criterion that supported learning processes.

Study 4 evaluates pre-service teachers’ development of TPACK as metaconceptual awareness in social VR and Zoom. As in previous studies, students plan and design lesson plans that are iteratively adjusted after three peer-group supervisions. For data collection, students used a graphic assessment of TPACK instrument (GATI) tool to estimate their current TPACK levels before and after the seminar. Self-assessments and portfolios were coded and qualitatively analyzed using epistemic network analysis (ENA). The results reveal quite homogeneous TPACK development in both groups. However, based on participants’ ENA networks in social VR, more complex connections between knowledge domains become apparent. Consequently, it can be concluded that students who regularly work with smetaocial VR in an authentic context, based on their practical experience, can purposefully derive actions for planning and designing lessons with social VR.

As the results from Study 4 indicate, the pedagogical concept successfully promoted TPACK as metaconceptual awareness. In the concluding chapter, appropriate implications for teacher education research and practice are derived from findings. For example, further in-depth investigation of the nature of TPACK as metacognitive awareness could reveal learning- enhancing aspects of teacher education for media integration in class. Furthermore, seminar contents dealing with using new technologies should account for digital literacy aspects, leading to VR use considering moral values and practiced sustainability.”