Since I just finished my teaching degree 2 years ago, I still have my practicum experience fresh in my memory. I remember that my faculty advisor was always encouraging me towards using technology in my classroom along, whereas my school advisor was not a big fan of technology use in a math classroom. I was always a big fan of using PCK in my classroom and felt a bit uncomfortable using TPACK (whenever I used it). Reflecting back on the experience now, I still cannot pinpoint why I was not comfortable using TPACK in my classroom, even though I consider myself technology-friendly compared to most people.
One of the instances I remember using PCK in my class was to give an introduction to the unit of Volume for my grade 8 students. I came up with a story where a crow is thirsty and is flying around looking for some water. He finally comes across this beaker that has some water but the crow cannot reach the water as it is at the bottom of the beaker. The crow comes up with an idea and starts collecting small rocks that he throws into the beaker. Eventually, after throwing a couple dozen rocks into the beaker, the water level rises in the beaker and the crow drinks water and flies away. I remember asking my students why they think the water level rose after the crow threw rocks in it. I had a few students come up with the right answer, that was that the volume of the beaker rose as the rocks were added and water level became higher. I consider this lesson of my practicum one of the best lessons as students were able to understand the concept of volume without me having to give them the textbook definition of what volume is. I remember being very pleased with this lesson by the end of the class, where my faculty advisor was observing me. I sat down with my advisor to go over the lessons’ strengths and weaknesses and the first thing he told me was that the lesson would have been better if I incorporated some technology in it. I was hurt by this comment as I was confident that my lessons went great and the PCK fulfilled the purpose of the lesson, therefore, why should there be TPCK when PCK is doing the job right.
After this, I realized that sometimes my advisor would ask me to include technology in my PCK teaching just because it is the “cool” thing to do. I think if I have to answer the question I asked myself earlier that why do I prefer PCK over TPCK, it would be that maybe because it was being forced on me. I was doing a good job using PCK but was seen as not good enough just because the technology was not a part of my PCK.
As Shulman states, “Isn’t teaching little more than personal style, artful communication, knowing some subject matter, and applying the results of recent research on teaching effectiveness?” (Shulman, 1987, p. 5). I personally believe that teaching isn’t any more than personal style, artful communication, knowing some subject matter and applying the results of recent research on teaching effectiveness. Teaching requires a teacher to be personally comfortable with whatever pedagogy they are keen to apply in their classroom instead of being forced by the administration that you must use technology or any other enhancement in one’s classroom. I did use a lot of TPCK in my classroom throughout my teaching experience but there are certain topics and concepts that are well taught without technology and some that are taught better with technology.
Shulman, L.S. (1987). Knowledge and teaching. The foundations of a new reform. Harvard Educational Review, 57(1)1-23.
An interesting take on the prompt. I loved reading through this!
With what I’m about to say, just remember that this is a technophile speaking:
I don’t think technology belongs in every lesson.
I 100% agree with you. Not EVERY lesson needs to have technology as part of it. There are many concepts, techniques, and processes that can be accomplished just fine without technology. I had a similar experience in my past teaching job, when iPads came into the classroom. I was making copies one day and the administrator asked me, “Why are you making copies? You have iPads in your classroom.” There seemed to be the idea that since there was technology in the room, they would be used every day. I simply responded, “Because some things are better done on paper.”
In my mind, if you can do the exact same thing on paper, then use the paper. But if there is some benefit to using the technology, use the technology. For example, I still insist that some of my students write out their rough drafts on paper, simply because I know that they focus better when they write on paper and don’t have the distraction of the computer in front of them. I would never do that myself and don’t consider it ideal in any way, but if they can accomplish more on paper, then they should be using paper, not technology. It’s just another form of differentiation and scaffolding.
This same principle applies to every lesson that I teach. I ask myself, “What do I gain by using the technology for this?” If I can’t list solid gains, I don’t use the technology. But, I also think that that is part of TPCK, have technological knowledge is knowing how and WHEN to use technology. Because remember, the pencil is also a form of technology. 😉
-Jonathan-
Thank you for your insight on this, Jonathan. I cannot agree more with you on how powerful a piece of paper with a pen can be. Every time I find myself procrastinating, I pick up a notebook and a pen and start writing things down that I need to do and it just helps me be proactive about what I need to do, regardless of how many to-do lists I have on my computer. Although, if I had to choose between using digital technology and pencil paper and they both had the same benefits, I would choose digital technology just because the real world out there is moving away from pencil and paper.
GK