Demographic and Contextual Factors Associated with Teachers' Perceived TPACK: Evidence from the Maldives

Aminath Waseela; Vinesh Chandra; Charisse Farr

doi:10.58524/oler.v6i2.1236

Authors

Aminath Waseela The Maldives National University, Maldives https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0185-6348
Vinesh Chandra Queensland University of Technology, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0933-1036
Charisse Farr Queensland University of Technology, Australia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58524/oler.v6i2.1236

Keywords:

Educational Technology, In-service teacher, Secondary grade teacher, Small Island Developing State, TPACK

Abstract

The use of digital technologies in education has increased the importance of teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK). However, existing research on the effect of demographic variables on teachers’ TPACK has produced inconsistent findings, and empirical evidence from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) remains limited. This study investigated the demographic and contextual factors affecting Maldivian in-service secondary teachers’ perceived TPACK competency. A validated 29-item questionnaire was administered to 485 teachers, and the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). The results revealed a generally high level of perceived TPACK across all dimensions. Significant differences were found based on frequency of technology use, teaching subject, and teacher nationality, whereas gender, age, and teaching experience showed no significant differences. Maldivian teachers teaching local subjects reported relatively lower perceptions of technological knowledge, likely due to the limited availability of subject-specific digital resources. This study contributes to the TPACK literature by providing empirical evidence from a SIDS and demonstrating that contextual factors, rather than demographic factors, have a greater influence on teachers’ perceived TPACK. The findings highlight the importance of contextualized professional development and subject-specific digital resources to support effective technology integration.

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