TPACK is an online framework that includes 3 distinct and important areas: Pedagogical Knowledge, Content Knowledge and Technological Knowledge.
TPACK grew from Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). PCK refers to the strategies we use in teaching course content. As Schulman (1987) states PCK is a “special amalgam of content and pedagogy that is uniquely the province of teachers, their own special form of professional understanding.” PCK is an intersection of content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge. We generally acquire content knowledge as teachers through professional development, our teacher training, and whatever personal education we have experienced. Our pedagogical knowledge is the strategies we have learned, such as project-based learning, think-pair-share, direct instruction etc.
When we discuss Technological Knowledge it may refer to an understanding of things like google suite, smartboards, Khan Academy, Scratch, Kahoot!, Prezi, Socrative etc. As teachers, we must decide what technology is best to provide the most engaging and productive learning for our students. Our ability to do this refers to our Technological Content Knowledge (TCK).
If we combine the three areas we have TPACK, which is “the basis of good teaching with technology and requires an understanding of the representation of concepts using technologies; pedagogical techniques that use technologies in constructive ways to teach content; knowledge of what makes concepts difficult or easy to learn and how technology can help redress some of the problems that students face; knowledge of students’ prior knowledge and theories of epistemology; and knowledge of how technologies can be used to build on existing knowledge and to develop new epistemologies or strengthen old ones.” (Mishra & Koehler, 2006). TPACK then is building on the pre-constructed knowledge students already have, using technology from an informed and researched pedagogical approach.
An example of TPACK I could use was my experience teaching coding last year. I taught one grade 10 IT class for the year and I began a coding unit in the first term, starting with the hour of code. This began on code.org and then moved on to scratch where I taught a modified version of the curriculum for basic coding that is available. After progressing through this, students were asked to create a story related to a topic of study in one of their other courses. The story had to be told via coding in scratch. It was a very interesting exercise that the students benefitted from greatly. Math, science and humanities all intersected as the project carried out. I believe in this instance technology, pedagogy, and content mixed in a way that Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. (2006) described.
Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. The Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017-1054.
Shulman, L.S. (1987). Knowledge and teaching. The foundations of a new reform. Harvard Educational Review, 57(1)1-23.
Replying to Ryan:
I enjoyed reading your post and I found your example of teaching coding to be similar to my own experience. I don’t know about you, I took some time to reflect on this project and how I was able most Shulman, L.S. (1987) Pedagogical reason and action skills (p.15). I think our lessons were successful because we both clarified a purpose and included many aspects of sound instructional design, fist pump to you! Of course, finding that “sweet spot” where pedagogy, content and technology meet is not possible on every lesson, it is essential instruction does include many of the crucial aspects of pedagogy and technology is seen a tool and not learning the outcome.
Hello Mary,
I completely agree. It isn’t possible to nail it every time but I believe in the pursuit we will do it more often than not. I think as a teacher there is nothing more sweet when you witness kids having that ahha moment in class. They see the connections, they learn something meaningful to them that you know will stick in their minds forever. When we can create the conditions for self-discovery we really are winning!!
Hi Ryan,
Great job at breaking down the PCK/TPCK frameworks. It sounds like you had great success with your coding unit. I am curious, were you able to meet a large number of your curriculum outcomes in their unit, and were there any students who continued to explore coding on their own after the unit was done? I have introduced coding into my class, and have it integrated into our Math unit on Patterns, but and finding it hard to tie it in authentically with our other subject outcomes and do it more as a stand-alone.
Sarah
Hello Sarah,
In this case I was able to cover standards in math, science, and social studies. It isn’t always easy and I didn’t reach that far the whole year. However, I do feel I was able to achieve a TPCK ideal multiple times throughout the year. I think for that unit the nature of the task lended it well to crossing multiple subjects but it won’t always be the case.
Hey Ryan,
I really like your example of TPACK being used! We do a similar thing with the grade 4’s in my school. They do one module on iMovie and one module on Scratch. Although instead of telling a story, they make a game.
The one thing I wonder about with TPACK and teaching technology in general is how we are going to properly scale it as educators. While I am capable of building on the Scratch knowledge that my 5’s developed in grade 4…I have no idea how to extend this learning at a high school level. I am fairly certain the solution will need to come through curriculum or teacher training. Educators will need to have much deeper understanding of concepts like coding or curriculum will have to scale it in such a way that it doesn’t ‘get away’ from teachers.
Hey Caleb,
I certainly agree teachers do need to have more training when it comes to coding to have a deeper understanding. There still seems to be a fair amount of resistance among teachers to coding. I understand why as it can seem daunting and like you said, “deeper understanding” needs to be achieved for teachers to be able to extend and adapt.
I’ve sat on in some professional development where the goal was definitely to achieve this. However, it does take a certain commitment and I’m not sure the province has done enough to promote pro d like this. Simply making it available doesn’t seem to be enough as it more often than not attracts people who are already sold on the idea.