Today’s class was all about a thing called TPACK. What is TPACK exactly? TPACK is an acronym for Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. It is a framework for instruction researched by Punya Mishra and Matt Koehler (and others) that focuses on the relationships between the three types of knowledge: Content, Pedagogical, and Technological. Content Knowledge is the information, goals, objectives, standards, skills, etc. that the teacher wants his or her students to learn. Pedagogical Knowledge is the teaching strategy or method used to teach the desired content. Some examples of Pedagogical Knowledge are writer’s workshop, read alouds, modeling, guided reading, flexible grouping, repeated reading, demonstrations, and many more. Technological Knowledge is understanding how technologies work, for example knowing how to make a podcast, monitor blogs, operate web 2.0 tools, or downloading applications (apps) to iPads or tablets. The TPACK framework encourages educators to think about how the three types of knowledge relate to each other and balancing these relationships to increase the effectiveness of teaching.
**Here is a visual representation of the TPACK framework, courtesy of www.tpck.org
Through the readings, discussions, and class activities about the TPACK framework, I have reached the following conclusions:
1. Technology should not be guiding instruction but enhancing it.
2. The standards/objectives of the lesson should be guiding instruction.
3. Pedagogy should be student-centered.
4. Technology should be an appropriate addition to the content and pedagogical method chosen.
5. Technologies were not made for teaching and learning. It is the educator’s responsibility to repurpose technology for educational use.
6. Every school and classroom is different. The balance of the three types of knowledge is flexible to differences in context.
7. Ideally, the technology is giving students an opportunity to perform a task that would not be possible without the technology.
8. There is a wide range of “Learning Activity Types” available that integrate the TPACK framework, so there is no need to overuse one technology or one pedagogical method.
While the TPACK framework may seem complicated, the theory behind it is simple. Make sure that your content, pedagogy, and technology are working together as a team to ensure that students are meeting lesson objectives and state standards.
I agree with you in that content, knowledge, and technology all need to work together in order to provide and teach the best lesson where students are learning at the highest level. I found it easier to plan the content and how the content is going to be taught first before selecting a technology. I think it is important to focus on the content and pedagogy first and when the emphasis is on those two parts it will be easier to find a technology that will compliment it the best.
ReplyDeleteGreat job analyzing and synthesizing the TPACK information --- now, if I could just get other teachers thinking about it this way. I really like your numbered points as you share a very helpful list of understandings!
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