TPACK- Knowledge that Helps Teachers to Teach Meaningfully with Technology

By Suparna Chatterjee
NMSU EDLT 672

Welcome to the NMSU EDLT 572/672 Podcast entitled TPACK: Knowledge that helps teachers to teach meaningfully with technology. I am Suparna Chatterjee doing my Doctoral studies at NMSU, in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction with concentration in Learning Design & Technology. So I will begin with TPACK stands for Technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge. TPACK is a framework for teacher knowledge for technology integration in education understanding that the three components content, pedagogy and technology interacts to give rise to the strategy appropriate for delivering the content knowledge using technologies.

I view TPACK as wearing gloves in hands that fit, where hands represent content knowledge, gloves represent technological knowledge and the way I wear it is the pedagogical knowledge. This metaphorical way of thinking makes sense that when gloves and hands are together it signifies a special state when hands are needed to keep warm or used for specific purpose. In a similar way it can be understood that content, pedagogy and technology which have specific individual roles when interact together can establish a new dimension of creative, innovative and dynamic context for teaching effectively with technology.

The history of its development dates back to Lee Schulman’s (1986) analysis of the combination of pedagogical and content knowledge (PCK) that teachers should possess. In 2000, technology knowledge was added as another component that teachers need to know, which developed over time and provides a detailed description of the framework in  published work of Mishra & Koehler (2006) and Koehler & Mishra (2008). These provided a theory integrating all three domains, developing the TPACK Framework.

As Koehler (2010) described this approach by stating learning technology by design, that is learning educational technology by designing educational technology which is made possible through  developing theory, teacher, & curricula.

The diagram produced by the TPACK.org showing the interactive domains which gives a comprehensive idea about how critical it is that the different bodies of knowledge interact to effectively integrate technology use in classroom practice.

CK is content knowledge, that is what to teach? It is the teacher’s knowledge about subject matter, concepts, theories, ideas, frameworks, analogies, and proofs. PK is pedagogical knowledge, that is how to teach? It is teacher’s knowledge about the methods of teaching and learning which includes the processes, practices, approaches, strategies, skills, lesson plans, and assessments. TK is technological knowledge, that is tools, software & hardware. Examples: Blackboards & digital computers which are used in educational settings. PCK refers to pedagogical content knowledge, that is how to teach a particular subject matter, common student understandings and misconceptions, etc. (Shulman, 1986, 1987). It explores about knowing the most effective way to teach  the content matter.

According to Koehler (2010) TCK refers to technological content knowledge that is how a subject matter is transformed by the application of technology. TCK designates the ability to integrate technology appropriately with content matter making it a coherent whole. And TPK refers to Technological Pedagogical Knowledge which analyzes how technology can support pedagogical goals (e.g., fostering collaboration) (Koehler, 2010).

From this discussion we can say that content, technology and pedagogy when happening simultaneously can result in effective teaching, consolidating the entirety.

An example of this can be simulation in a nursing laboratory, where the students interact with manikins that have software like Teamviewer that controls the activity of the manikin according to students need for practicing a particular type of disease in human beings. The instructor can control the activities like coughing, or increased breathing or anything from the control system and students need to respond to those symptoms and also to the questions that the patient can ask. The whole session can be recorded in a panopto for future use. It helps towards conceptual knowledge building.

Thus the advantages of the TPACK framework are effective learning using technological tools through collaboration, engagement & motivation. TPACK utilizes technology tools as learning resources with an in-depth understanding of the content, objective and pedagogy where students are active participants in their learning of contents facilitated by the teacher which becomes the foundation of learner centered approach.

Another important aspect of the TPACK model is the idea of “repurposing” the difference digital tools that are available on the Web.  As Mishra points out that most of these tools were not specifically developed for education, but teachers everywhere are figuring out how to use or “repurpose” these tools for teaching and learning.

With this discussion I hope that teachers will have the urge to understand the TPACK framework to be implemented in their teaching practices to meet the challenge of teaching effectively with technology. If you have an idea for developing TPACK lesson plans for conceptual and procedural knowledge building in any content area that can facilitate students learning please leave them in the response below.

Thank you for joining me.

References

Blanchard, M. R., Harris, J., & Hofer, M. (2011, February). Science learning activity types. Retrieved from College of William and Mary, School of Education, Learning Activity Types Wiki: https://activitytypes.wmwikis.net/file/view/ScienceLearningATs-Feb2011.pdf

Harris, J., & Hofer, M. (2009). Instructional planning activity types as vehicles for curriculum-based TPACK 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).

Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for integrating technology in teachers’ knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017–1054

Mishra, P. & Koehler, M. (2009). Too Cool for School? No Way! Using the TPACK Framework: You Can Have Your Hot Tools and Teach with Them, Too. Learning and Leading with Technology, 36(7) p14-18.

National Research Council. (2000). Inquiry and the national science education standards. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

Parra, J. (2016). Adventures beyond borders in learning design, technology and innovation. Educators #Beyond Borders Conference 2016, March 12, 2016