An Investigation into the Information-based Teaching Ability of English Teachers in Chinese Vocational Colleges from the Perspective of TPACK Theory

Abstract

Grounded in the TPACK framework, this study examines the current state and influencing factors of information-based teaching ability among 176 English teachers from seven vocational colleges in Anhui Province through a questionnaire survey. Findings reveal that while teachers demonstrate strong content knowledge (CK) and pedagogical knowledge (PK), their instructional flexibility and exploration of diverse teaching styles remain limited. Although initial alignment between technological tools and instructional goals has been achieved, the deeper role of technology in reshaping teaching paradigms is underutilized. A lack of motivation for technological advancement is evident, with teachers having ≥16 years of experience lagging in technological knowledge (TK). Additionally, a significant gap exists in data-driven student learning analysis within pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The weakest aspect is the reflective integration of TPACK, with a general trend of low-level homogeneity, indicating insufficient teacher collaboration and technology-sharing awareness. Notably, the enhancement of TPK significantly contributes to TPACK development, while self-efficacy emerges as a critical determinant. Based on these findings, the study proposes strategies to enhance information-based teaching ability, aiming to foster comprehensive improvement among vocational college English teachers.