TPACK

TPACK stands for Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. It is “the intersection of teachers’ knowledge of curriculum content, general pedagogies, and technologies” (Harris & Hofer, 2009). Teachers need to be knowledgeable in all three of these areas in order to use technology to effectively teach their content. It is a given that teachers should be experts in their content area, and that they should know how to teach the material. However, educators must also explore the “pedagogical principles that will guide their use of technology for teaching and learning” (Okojie, Olinzock, & Okojie-Boulder). Teachers could implement the TPACK model into their classrooms by applying a “systematic and judicious selection of technologies and teaching/learning strategies” when planning instruction (Harris & Hofer, 2009). I always plan a week in advance. I start by writing the main goals for each class. Then, I go back through and think about different technologies I could use for instructional purposes, and different technologies my students could use to explore a concept or demonstrate competency in a concept. If I can think of or find a technology tool that will enhance the lesson, then I plan on implementing it. I don’t use technology in especially creative ways every single day, but when I do, my students respond in a very positive manner. Often, the chosen technology tool enhances the lesson and engages my students.

While it is undoubtedly a good idea for teachers to develop their TPACK and implement the TPACK model, some may encounter some obstacles along the way. I think the biggest challenge some teachers face is that they are not comfortable implementing technology in their classroom. A lot of teachers don’t have technological content knowledge, nevermind technological pedagogical content knowledge. If a teacher does not know much about technology, then they would have a very difficult time trying to choose technology tools that would enhance their lessons. While professional development could help with this problem, it may not entirely solve it. Teachers often learn about technology tools in isolation during professional development time. This leaves them with the struggle of figuring out how they could apply it to their subject area and their classes. I have been to many faculty meetings that share new technology tools for education. However, we have never discussed the pedagogical principles behind the technology use. “Applying TPACK to the task of teaching with technology requires a context-bound understanding of technology, where technologies may be chosen and repurposed to fit the very specific pedagogical and content-related needs of diverse educational contexts” (Koehler, Mishra, Akcaoglu, Rosenberg, 2013).

The Instructional Planning Activities Types as Vehicles for Curriculum-Based TPACK Development paper provides some possible technology tools that can be used for different types of activities. For example, if you’d like students to have a group discussion, you could have them use Blackboard, Wikispakces, or e-boards. If you need to review with your students, you could use personal response systems (PRS), Jeopardy, or SurveyMonkey (Harris & Hofer, 2009). This list provides suggestions that could work for every core curricular subject. This list is especially helpful because it provides the activity type first, and then lists different technologies that could work for that activity. This list is a great tool for teachers to use when implementing the TPACK model and methodically choosing technologies and teaching/learning strategies. I know I will be referring to it as an additional resource when making my weekly plans!

References

Harris, J., & Hofer, M. (2009). Instructional planning activity types as vehicles for curriculum-based TP ACK development. In C. D. Maddux, (Ed.). Research highlights in technology and teacher education 2009 (pp. 99-108). Chesapeake, VA: Society for Information Technology in Teacher Education (SITE). Retrieved from http://activitytypes.wmwikis.net/file/view/HarrisHofer-TPACKActivityTypes.pdf.

Koehler, M., Mishra, P., Akcaoglu, M., & Rosenberg, J. (2013). The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Framework for Teachers and Teacher Educators. Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia. Retrieved from http://cemca.org.in/ckfinder/userfiles/files/ICT%20teacher%20education%20Module%201%20Final_May%2020.pdf.

Okojie, M., Olinzock, A., & Okojie-Boulder, T. The Pedagogy of Technology Integration. The Journal of Technology Studies. Retrieved from http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JOTS/v32/ v32n2/okojie.html.