TPACK in the Classroom

TPACK?  What's that?

TPACK is an educational acronym that stands for Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge.  Many of us have seen a graphic that looks like this:

Reproduced by permission of the publisher, © 2012 by tpack.org

But, what does it mean, and how does it affect the classroom?

A few definitions:

Technological Knowledge:  how familiar a teacher is in using technology--be it 1:1 devices, programs, or "good ol' fashioned" paper and pencil.

Content Knowledge: What we teach--Foreign language, Social Studies, Math, Science, English, etc.

Pedagogical Knowledge:  how we teach-- our best practices, assessments and learning theories

In addition, there are intersections

Technological and Content Knowledge (TCK):  how well a teacher knows how to use technology to deliver content to their students.  An English teacher might show a livestream of the Royal Shakespeare Company performing one of Shakespeare's plays.  An art teacher might have their students take a virtual tour of the Louvre.  

Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (PCK):  how a teacher designs a lesson for maximum student engagement.

Technological and Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK):  how a teacher can use technology to support a student's learning style according to best practices, or a teacher's philosophy of education.

Therefore, the ultimate intersection would be Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge

The circle surrounding "TPACK" is Context, a fairly recent addition to the TPACK model.  I like to think of it as "who do you teach?"  How an elementary teacher teaches social studies is going to be different from a high school teacher.  More than that, an AP American History teacher would teach that same course differently to "standard" students.  Context can also be how culturally responsive technology use is--does using the technology promote equity in the classroom?  Does it help students overcome barriers to education?

TL:DR (Too Long:  Didn't Read)? 😉   Here are a couple of videos I found that do a nice job of explaining TPACK:

This is the "highlights" version:

 

 Want a more in depth explanation? Click on the video below:

Want to do some reading on your own?  Yeah, I've got articles for you. 😉

From the BCPS Office of Digital Learning:  Instructional Activities (TPACK explained)

From the Schoology blog:  The TPACK Framework Explained

From the TPACK.org website:  TPACK Explained  (Click on  "What is TPACK?" on the banner)

and from Australia:  What is TPACK? Teaching Teachers for the Future

This is just a small sample of what's out there.  Googling "TPACK" brings up more than 10 pages of links.  And searching YouTube has videos in several languages.

But what about the classroom?  How do I bring TPACK into it?

In the beginning, it's going to require thought.  Why do you want to use the technology (and here, I'm referring to websites or programs you--or your school/district--have found or purchased)?  How will it be used?  What activity will it replace?  Does it do a better job helping the students understand a concept?  Using technology for the sake of using technology may not bring about the results you're hoping for if you don't do your planning.  There is a lot of technology out there, and it can be hard to find exactly what you're looking for.

One great resource for tech resources is the Baltimore County Public Schools Office of Digital Learning Toolbox Index.  In addition, they also have resources broken down by P21 Skills and Tools

(If you're not a BCPS teacher, check out the resources your county/district has available for you.)

Want to read a long journal article about learning activity taxonomies?  The Journal of  Technology and Teacher Education has an article by Harris, Hofer, Schmidt, Blanchard, Young, Grandgenett and Van Olphen called "Grounded" Technology Integration: Instructional Planning Using Curriculum-Based Activity Type Taxonomies

Of course, YouTube has tons of ideas and tutorials, as well as TedTalks about using Technology in the Classroom.  Just type in "Technology in the Classroom," and you'll get more ideas than you probably have time for.

Next blog:  SAMR in the Classroom

Why this blog

They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks.... well, be that as it may, this middle-aged teacher is learning something new...I'm working on a Master's in Educational Technology through Loyola University in Maryland (link is for Loyola in general, not necessarily the program.  Hey, I'm still learning stuff!)

Sometimes, I have to create things for class, so I thought I'd go ahead and set up a blog.  Other times, I might learn something and want to remember what it is I learned and why I thought it was so neat.  Then again, I might want to share information with my fellow teachers, whether you teach with me in my school, in my content area, my county, or in the world.

If you've stumbled on this blog somehow, please know that I'm not promising regular updates.  This could change as I progress in my studies, and as I start using technology in my classroom--or I may create a grand total of 10 blogs and abandon it like some many others do.

So, who am I?

After being a stay-at-home mom and elementary/middle school substitute teacher, I decided a few years ago it was time to get back into my own classroom.  Plus, I had a child just about ready to go to college.  Gotta help out with tuition somehow!

I'm a Spanish (grade) 6 and 7 teacher, at least this year.  Last year, we called it Spanish 1, and I taught a few 6th graders, mostly 7th graders, and a class of 8th graders.  Oh, and I also taught World History to 7th graders.  This year, it's all Spanish.  I teach at Woodlawn Middle School in Baltimore County, Maryland.  As most middle school teachers will tell you, my students are that curious mix of frustrating and funny.  They're transitioning--no longer "little" kids, but not old enough to be young adults--no matter how desperate some of them are to be adults.  (Stay little for a bit longer, kiddos.  The adult world isn't what you think it is.)

Why a new Master's?

A couple of reasons, one being that in order to keep my teacher certificate, I have to take classes any way--why not get another degree out of it?  (Plus, prosaically, I can earn more money if I have at least 30 more credit hours.  See helping to pay tuition note above.)

The other reason is that teachers are being given tech tools, but we're not always shown how to use the tools to make our teaching better.  I'm expecting that by the time I finish this program, I'll know how to use these tech tools in ways to help my students become more proficient in their learning, and maybe even be able to help my fellow teachers transform their analog classrooms into digital classrooms.

Lastly, I suspect that in the next decade, our school calendars are going to change.  With most families able to access the Internet, students won't necessarily be tied to the school building.  Oh, it's snowing out?  No need to have a snow day--students can access lessons and be engaged in learning activities at home.  Going on vacation?  Your student won't come back to school and struggle to keep up with learning that occurred while he was away, and face a mountain of make-up work to be completed within a week.  Your student instead will be able to log into their school account and access the work their classmates are doing while he's away.  Teachers and students will be able to lessen the effect of "Summer Drain" by creating lessons that will help students review work done over the last school year, as well as prepare them for what they'll be learning in the new school year.


Additionally, I think that learning doesn't have to always happen in a classroom.  Sure, if you want (or need) to have the degree, community college, traditional 4 year college/university is the only way to go, but you can teach yourself anything.  With all the ways we have of connecting with people, you can find someone to help you learn a new skill or subject.  Or find a series of videos.  There are many places with online courses.

So, welcome to my blog, and join me on my voyage of eDiscovery.  😄