Biology Teachers’ Perceptions and Observed Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) for Teaching Genetics: Implications for Professional Development

The investigation aimed to determine teachers’ self-evaluated technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) and how these beliefs aligned with their actual instructional behaviour. A total of 42 biology teachers from 18 secondary schools in southern Nigeria participated in the survey phase using a 35- item TPACK perception scale, while eight teachers were subsequently observed during genetics lessons.

Findings revealed that 88% of the teachers reported a high perception of their TPACK competence. Male teachers demonstrated significantly higher self-ratings than female teachers, although perceptions did not differ by age, qualifications, or years of teaching experience. Classroom observations largely confirmed teachers’ self-reported competencies, except in the areas of cooperative learning strategies and real-world applications of genetics.