TPACK is a framework for online learning that has three distinct areas: Technological Knowledge, Pedagogical Knowledge and Content Knowledge.
Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) relates to the pedagogical strategies we use to teach our course content. This area is created with the intersection of Content Knowledge (this is what we are teaching) and Pedagogical knowledge (method we use to teach the content). Content knowledge is generally acquired through undergraduate studies in a subject area or professional development. Examples of Technological knowledge can be things such as video services such as YouTube and Khan Academy, or laptops and projectors, cameras, Google Apps for Education (Docs, Sheets, Classroom) to name a few. Further, Pedagogical knowledge can be using methods such as direct instruction, inquiry, or project based learning etc.
Technological Content Knowledge (TCK) is knowing which type of technology will be most well suited to deliver the content to our students.
When these three areas overlap, we are left with TPACK: the idea that we can use technology to aid in our pedagogical approach to teaching the content to our students.
An example of how I use PCK in my practice is in my Marketing 11 class. Students need to be proficient in the concept of a target market. My current class is made up of individuals who are all very interested in fast, expensive cars and so I found this to be a great opportunity to explore the course content. Students often think that just because they purchase something, they are automatically the target market for that product. For example, a couple of the students own new, full size trucks and through classroom discussion thought that Ford and Dodge were actively advertising to them. Through different exercises (classroom discussions, extensive print and video ad analysis) we were able to learn about target markets; the hope with choosing vehicles was so that students could interact with the content, reflect on their own biases and opinions and construct new knowledge leading to deeper learning.
References:
Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. The Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017-1054
Hello Baljeet,
Have you found that the TPCK framework would help in deciding which digital tasks are worth our students exploring in the classroom? I sometimes wonder if the technology I use in my classroom on projects or explorations is an appropriate pedagogical use for teaching such content. I do think the Mishra and Koehler paper addresses this point well in their framework but I always have doubts that the time spent on technological hangups, such as time spent dealing with connection problems, may move the venn diagram circles towards the technology side more than the content or pedagogical side.
Great post!
James
Hi James,
You pose a great question. I too struggle with the challenge of trying to be sure everything in my lesson goes as smooth as possible. I have been fortunate enough to work in a building that just went through a fairly large overhaul of the network infrastructure so as to try an minimize problems such as bandwidth limitations or connection problems – these types of issues would give me considerable pause if they were persistent.
Thanks for the comment!
Baljeet