Assessing technologies for teaching and learning: understanding the importance of technological pedagogical content knowledge

Past and present research has provided evidence to support the claim that technologies for teaching and learning must be pedagogically sound. However, educational technologies are also part of a complex process involving the people in the implementation of the innovation. In this paper, I review existing research and explain what both of those claims entail for educational technology. In the remainder of the paper, I discuss the research agenda related to the need to provide evidence that technology innovations are successful in the implementation process. Implications of this three‐part model as well as a discussion of the importance of technological pedagogical content knowledge conclude the paper.