TPACK

This week's topic is TPACK. I'd never heard of TPACK before so my first question was - what is it. The most helpful introduction to TPACK was this two minute video introduction.

 

 

The official definition of TPACK is: technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) is a framework to understand and describe the kinds of knowledge needed by a teacher for effective pedagogical practice in a technology enhanced learning environment.

 

A simpler definition is TPACK is a framework that brings together 3 knowledge areas - technological(the partner - the tool), pedagogical(the how - instructional types), content (the what- subject matter)- and how they work together to make the content being taught more accessible and increase student motivation.



What questions should you consider before implementation (technical, administrative, pedagogical, other)?

Some things come to mind when I think about integrating technology in the classroom - these are in no particular order.

1. What is my ease of use with the technology in question and will I be able to use it effectively?
2. What support does the district provide in regards with integrating technology in the classroom?
3. What technology is available to students - computers, laptops, ipads, etc?
4. How will I use the technology to enhance the content I am teaching?
5. Will I need to teach the technology itself before the content - how can this be integrated into lessons?
6. How will I assess my students?
7. Is the technology meaningful to the content I am teaching or does it detract from the lesson?

What are some of the positive attributes as well as potential barriers regarding the introduction of transiliterate practices in the classroom?

I found this article to be quite beneficial when weighing the pros and cons of integrating TPACK.
http://www.nadasisland.com/tpack/#hinder

Some pros include:
*student centered approach to learning
*more student collaboration
*non-linear collection of information
*students seem to be more motivated when technology is involved
*enhancement of reading skills
*internet usage increases students higher order thinking skills
*critical thinking skills are enhanced

Some cons include:
*negative educator attitudes to technology incorporation
*teacher's lack of training in technological competencies
*technology changes rapidly
*lack of resources in the classroom
*repurposing technology meant for the business world to the world of the classroom

How will you choose technologies that enhance the teaching approaches for a lesson in your own classroom?
During my reading for class I found that this question was answered very well in the artic K-6 literacy learning activities. Below is a screen shot of a portion of the website. You can see that the activity type - in this case, pre-reading activities - are listed on the left, with a brief description of the content area in the middle, and the variety of technologies available to enhance the learning of this skill listed on the right. To access this website to go http://activitytypes.wm.edu/K6LiteracyFeb11.html

I think it is important for each teach to do their own homework when it comes to technologies. I have found that there are a variety of different technological approaches to teaching a concept but you have to find the right one for your purposes and the best fit for your students.

After learning about TPACK, what questions do you have and how do you think you can begin to answer them?

1.My first question is - how do I go about implementing technology into the classroom?

I watched a webinar at www.edweb.com about how to implement technology in a classroom. The webinar was hosted by Vicki Davis @coolcatteach from Camilla Georgia. She is a highschool teacher but her methods could be utilized by anyone. She stresses that technology is expensive and just because we bought it doesn't mean it will automatically enhance a classroom. She suggests innovating like a turtle - move forward a little bit every day to make a journey of a thousand miles. She describes learning and implementing one technology per year to your repertoire of pedagogical tools.

2. What are the best technologies to introduce to K-3 students?

This Wiki page https://k3classroomtech.wikispaces.com/Classroom+Wikis  provides a list of wiki pages created by teachers that describe how they use technology in their classrooms and how the children they teach interact with it.

3. How do I monitor and assess my use of technology in the classroom?

There are many websites that address this topic, including;
https://www.nwea.org/blog/2013/digital-technology-tools-for-implementing-formative-assessment-post-one/

http://www.thethinkingstick.com/evaluating-technology-use-in-the-classroom/



What I took away from this topic is that a teacher needs to have a clear understanding of the content she is going to teach, how she is going to teach it, and what technology will best enhance the learning experience. She needs to have a plan for how she is going to make these three knowledge bases intersect and she will then implement this in her classroom. TPACK is a model, or framework, that helps a teacher guide their understand of these concepts and create that experience.