Competencies in Teaching Math with an IT-Based Approach: A Comparison between Student-Teachers and Article 28 Trainees

The present research has aimed to compare the competencies in teaching math using an IT-based approach in student-teachers and trainees admitted based on Article 28. A quasi-experimental approach was used, and static groups were devised, with the research sample consisting of 20 student-teachers and 20 Article 28 trainees from the province of Eastern Azerbaijan during 2018-2019. Both groups were provided with the content for teaching elementary school mathematics using multimedia software in Storyline. In order to measure the TPACK (technological knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and content knowledge) variable level, the questionnaire devised by Sahin (2011) for the assessment of content knowledge -- consisting of the six TPACK microscales of content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, technological knowledge, knowledge of teaching content, pedagogical-technological knowledge and content-technological knowledge -- was used, and the reliability and validity of the questionnaire were also assessed as desirable after preliminary use. As for the variable level regarding knowledge, computer skill and computer self-efficacy, the 33-item questionnaire devised by Seraji and Rostami (2016) on IT-based competences was used, and the total reliability of the questionnaire was determined to be α = 0.89. After pre-tests and post-tests were conducted, the results showed that the student-teachers scored higher in the components of content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, technological knowledge, pedagogical-technological knowledge, and computer self-efficacy compared to the Article 28 group at 0.05 level of significance. The average scores obtained by the Article 28 group in the components of content-technological knowledge, cognitive-technological knowledge, and computer skills proved to be higher than those of the student-teachers group at 0.05 level of significance. Moreover, the results indicate no difference in regard to attitude toward IT or performance between the two groups.