The aim of this study is to outline the development and changes in pre‐service teachers' technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) assessments during the first 3 years in teacher education. Specifically, research was conducted at three measurement points over a 3‐year teacher education period. The target group consisted of pre‐service teachers (N = 148) from three Finnish universities. Results indicate a growth in confidence related to all TPACK areas during the research period. The strongest gains were in pedagogical content knowledge. In addition, the gains were larger in other areas related to pedagogical knowledge than areas related to technology or content knowledge. In areas without pedagogical knowledge, the changes were more moderate. In the discussion section, recommendations are provided on the potential of longitudinal use of the TPACK model to study and improve the development of pre‐service teachers' TPACK.

It is important that educators create a good basis for young students to develop their digital competence. This two-year case study aimed to find ways to foster the digital competence of young students in the early years of primary school education. The results show that spontaneous problems provided opportunities for students to show their competence and fostered their engagement. In addition, long-lasting changes were associated with learning digital competence at the beginning of primary school. Furthermore, all children were eager in using digital technology for learning, but their commitment in tracking their own development and using digital technology to make their learning transparent to homes varied. This study shows that when fostering young students’ evolving digital competence, teachers need to consider digital technology use holistically and in long-term.

Children’s digital competence (DC) is often poorly supported in early childhood education (ECE). Furthermore, common definition of DC is difficult to find. Therefore, the aim of this comparative curriculum study was to better understand how objectives and content of DC are defined in ECE. Australia and Finland curricula were analyzed applying theory-driven content analysis. The results indicated that in both countries theoretical basis of DC was present: objectives and content of DC referred to (1) technical skills and practices, (2) applying digital technologies, (3) evaluate digital technologies critically, and (4) motivation to participate in a digital culture. However, aims, content, and practical guidelines on the curricula were unclear. This study recommends that ECE curricula should better emphasis and make explicit the key elements of DC and how to holistically foster children’s DC in practice. Further studies to clarify the important elements of DC in ECE curricula frameworks is required.

Technology-enhanced Reciprocal Peer Tutoring (RPT) was carried out with Finnish, nine to ten year-old primary school students (N=40). The RPT as a method of paired mathematics placed specific emphasis on electrical mathematical writing and drawing. Little is known about the important area of implementing digital mathematical skills at the primary level. The contribution of this study is to address the research gap in implementing Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) into primary school students’ digital mathematics learning. Data was collected from one primary school mathematics lessons by videotaping student’s peer collaboration. In this empirical educational study, the data was analysed qualitatively with content analysis and quantified based on the Contact Summary Sheet (CSS)-instrument and TPACK -framework. This work sheds a light on how students’ collaboration such as instruction, thinking aloud, feedback, support and new ideas during their peer tutoring arouse students’ mathematical attainment and technological discourse. The results indicate that all dimensions of TPACK emerged during primary school students Technology-enhanced RPT. Data reveals that there was a high degree of PK in all videotaped episodes. More research on RPT with an empirical electrical mathematical focus is needed.

This research is a contribution to issues of digital technology use at the interface of formal and informal learning contexts. The research was conducted in the discourse tradition and investigates Finnish teacher training students’ ‘manners of speaking’ as resources for, and obstacles to, making pedagogical changes in response to the potential of digital technology. Findings revealed that the resources and obstacles associated with transitions between formal and informal learning contexts are concerned with students’ engagement in: (i) linking formal and informal activities, (ii) avoiding uncertainty, and (iii) participating in shared work practices. This research argues that risk taking is an opportunity in making the associated pedagogical changes. Risk taking can be developed in teacher education by critically evaluating how to support students in their use of digital technology at personal, group and cultural levels.