Elementary STEM Teachers' Open Educational Resources and TPACK in a Professional Learning Network: A Case Study

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v29i1.4102

Abstract

There has been growing attention on investigating elementary STEM teachers' Professional Learning Networks (PLNs). However, what types of Open Educational Resources (OER) and Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK) elementary STEM teachers share in their PLNs are still under-examined. This case study aims to explore elementary STEM teachers' use of OER, types of TPACK, and their relationships. Using qualitative content analysis, we analyzed qualitative messages extracted from a Facebook community for elementary STEM teachers. The results showed that tools and tips were the most commonly shared among the various OER types, and technology-related knowledge (i.e., TK and TPK) emerged dominant within the PLN. Also, we discuss the implications of elementary STEM teachers' discourses on OER and TPACK in a PLN.

Author Biographies

Yujin Park, Florida State University

Yuji Park is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Instructional Systems and Learning Technologies program at Florida State University. Her research interests include informal teacher professional development in online settings. To explore her research interests, she mainly applies text mining techniques, content analysis, and qualitative case studies. Currently, she has been focusing on elementary STEM teachers’ digital curation processes for her dissertation.

Jewoong Moon, The University of Alabama

Jewoong (Jacob) Moon is an assistant professor of Instructional Technology at College of Education. He earned his Ph.D. degree of Instructional Systems and Learning Technologies at Florida State University, where he was a member of the Cyberlearning Research Group led by Dr. Fengfeng Ke. His expertise is in game-based / immersive (VR, AR, and MR) learning design, Instructional design (Training, curriculum development), and data analytics integration in technology-enhanced learning.

Hunhui Na, Florida State University

Hunhui Na is a doctoral candidate in the Instructional Systems & Learning Technologies (ISLT) program at Florida State University. He is interested in 1) self-directed learning of educators and students, 2) designing technology-enhanced learning experiences for students in STEM+CS.

More specifically, his research focuses on how and why early career teachers participate in online communities for their professional learning, how students develop computational thinking skills in online communities (e.g., Scratch), implementing immersive technologies (VR, AR, gamified content) into classroom contexts for STEM+CS education, and understanding teachers’ role in integrating immersive technology within classroom contexts.

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Published

2025-03-01

How to Cite

Park, Y., Moon, J., & Na, H. (2025). Elementary STEM Teachers’ Open Educational Resources and TPACK in a Professional Learning Network: A Case Study. Online Learning, 29(1). https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v29i1.4102

Issue

Vol. 29 No. 1 (2025): Online Learning

Section

Students, Community, and Online Learning

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Yujin Park, Jewoong Moon, Hunhui Na

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