The interplay of TPACK, self-efficacy, and career motivation among economics teachers: a mediation analysis

Abstract

Problem and aim. The paper emphasizes self-efficacy in education and career choice. Self-efficacy and a willingness to learn are the main differentiators in competitive human resource development in the digital age. A school's competence and graduates' potential determine its success. The paper investigates how selfefficacy (EK) mediates Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) and career choice motivation for economics teachers. Technology, pedagogy, and economics content knowledge (TPACK) are taught separately and together to undergraduate economics education students. In the post-COVID-19 era, where technology is vital to education, the research is relevant to assessing college students' TPACK competencies. The study aims to clarify the relationship between TPACK, self-efficacy, and career choice motivation in economics education students by evaluating the self-efficacy mediation model. Material and methods. The study used a conceptual modeling research design with a quantitative approach, examining four observational variables such as TPACK, self-efficacy as a prospective teacher as the exogen variable, and career choice motivation as an economics teacher as the endogen variable. This research involves 346 students in Java, Indonesia, using the CB-SEM analysis to identify the TPACK components and students' selfefficacy as prospective teachers. The result of the study. The study discovers a substantial relationship between TPACK, self-efficacy, and career choice motivation, with an index of goodness of fit of RMSEA = 0.021, ChiSq/df =1.146, CFI = 0.966, and TLI= 0.965 considered acceptable. The indirect effect test of the relationships between TPACK and career choice motivation as an economics teacher (b = 0.064, p = 0.022) reveals that self-efficacy mediates the relationship between TPACK and career choice motivation as an economics teacher. The results confirm that TPACK has a significant relationship with career choice motivation as an economics instructor, both directly and indirectly through selfefficacy mediation. Conclusion. The differences show that the TPACK components might help students, parents, and institutions evaluate the teaching and learning process. The researchers also expect the facilitators and constitutional bodies to take strategic moves to improve and develop the supporting infrastructures for education. The next fundamental questions are about the quality of technology integration and the effectiveness of college students' skills development.