TPACK ... for everyone

The task: to write a plain English reflection about Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) ... in a way that everyone can understand the concept.

When I kept thinking of this task, all I saw was circles.  Circles standing alone, and circles "meshed" together.  I knew I had to show TPACK visually to best explain the concept.  Sorry, I am a visual learner, so apologies to all those out there who prefer other forms of learning (I'll diversify next time).

To me, TPACK makes sense .... combine the three (content, pedagogy and technology) knowledges to create a truly engaging (and hopefully effective) class/subject.  However, like many frameworks and theories, it can be hard to take the concepts and turn them into actions. Lyn Giebels, a fellow GDLT student, shared a wonderful TPACK wiki in her blog that identifies common classroom activity types with complementary technologies. For Science learning activity types, a simulation program could be used to run trials for a procedure, or a wiki to plan, record data and report for a group experiment (Harris, Hofer, & Blanchard, 2011).

As I've outlined in the video, one of the main considerations will be for teachers to be on top of the technology ... because technology is changing at a rapid pace, it can be easy to be left behind.  Our students will be on top of the latest gizmo/app/online tool, so we need to as well.  I think there will be many fun and engaging ways that I can use technology to add value to the content and the way I teach in Home Economics and Science.  There are many interactive tools for high school science out there .... I am sure students would much rather learn (and apply) the periodic table using the fun periodic table apps on the Ipad rather than looking at a paper version of the table and rote learning it.  In Home Ec, the class could use a Wiki to plan a Feast Day - they can collaboratively decide and organise (through the use of scaffolding) what needs to be done for an afternoon of creative cooking and delicous food.  Hopefully they will be engaged, and take ownership of the task ... and gain some new knowledge and skills along the way.

Anyway, here's the video I've created to explain TPACK  .... (with some music to make it a little more entertaining!).



References
Harris, Judi, Hofer, Mark, & Blanchard, Margaret R. (2011). Science learning activity types. from College of William and Mary, School of Education, Learning Activity Types Wiki: http://activitytypes.wmwikis.net/