“Our model of technology integration in teaching and learning argues that developing good content requires a thoughtful interweaving of all three key sources of knowledge: technology, pedagogy, and content” (Mishra & Koehler, 2006). Integration of technology should have purpose and without creating a vision of how to interweave these three elements, the quality of teaching is downgraded. “Quality teaching requires developing a nuanced understanding of the complex relationships between technology, content, and pedagogy, and using this understanding to develop appropriate, context-specific strategies and representations” (Mishra & Koehler, 2006).
PCK is combination of pedagogy and content knowledge. It is when a teacher uses their knowledge of a subject area and transforms it to make it accessible to all learners (using pedagogy)
TPACK is when there is a combination of pedagogy, content knowledge, and technology. The interplay of these three bodies of knowledge creates effective teaching with the use of technology. This requires the educator to be knowledgeable in technology, pedagogy, and the content being taught.
Since technology is becoming ever so prevalent in education, it is important to understand how to incorporate it appropriately to develop TPACK in the classroom. Just using the tools itself does not create TPACK. The teachers need to understand the technology, and then combine it with the other factors to ensure productive use and positive learning.
A few years ago I attended a two-day professional development session presented by Apple employees on the implementation of iPads into our school. This was my first year teaching and after attending this conference I believed I knew all that was needed to know when using iPads in the classroom. Looking back, especially after reading this article, I realize that I was very naive. I learned how to use an iPad, and what sorts of apps may be useful in the classroom, but I didn’t learn how to use them to optimize learning or use them to become a ‘good teacher.’ “Productive technology integration in teaching needs to consider all three issues not in isolation, but rather within the complex relationships in the system defined by the three key elements” (Mishra & Koehler, 2006, p. 1029). If I had my time back I would like to use this session to learn how to link and interweave the elements of TPCK.
References:
Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017-1054. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9620.2006.00684.x