Digital pedagogy and cooperative learning: Effect on the technological pedagogical content knowledge and academic performance of pre-service teachers

Given the growing role of digital technology and its relevance in the national curriculum, the design and enactment of aligned pedagogies is a challenge for the community of teacher education. This research aims to explore: (a) whether Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) model and cooperative learning (CL) facilitate preservice teachers' perception of TPACK and academic achievement; and (b) whether there is a relationship between preservice teachers' perception of TPACK and their academic achievement. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with three groups (n= 293) was performed for 15 weeks. One group has experienced a pedagogical approach based on TPACK and small-group work. A second group experienced a pedagogical approach based on TPACK and CL. A control group experienced a teacher-centered pedagogical approach and individual assignments. Main findings show that the two experimental groups improved their perception of TPACK and their academic achievement. However, statistically significant improvements were found favoring the group that experienced TPACK and CL. The prediction model also showed that TPACK predicted the academic achievement of pre-service teachers who also experienced TPACK and CL. In summary, digital pedagogies based on TPACK and CL improve pre-service teachers' TPACK and academic achievement. The use of these pedagogies could influence the development of the digital competence of future teachers. Increasing the digital competence of future teachers is indeed a crucial aspect, given the current social and pedagogical scenario. (C) 2020 Universidad de Pais Vasco. Published by Elsevier Espafia, S.L.U. All rights reserved.