Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) is a topic that came up in one of my earlier courses. I hope that after this week’s readings I have an even better grasp on this theory, as I have been able to reflect on it since first learning about it.
PCK is having a depth of pedagogical knowledge and understanding and using this to select and deliver a method that appropriately fits the content being delivered. It is complex as there are so many aspects to be considered: as Mishra and Koehler (2016) argue, “PCK is concerned with the representation and formulation of concepts, pedagogical techniques, knowledge of what makes concepts difficult or easy to learn, knowledge of students’ prior knowledge, and theories of epistemology” (p. 1027). Mishra and Koehler go on to explain that Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) is the theory that pedagogy, content and knowledge cannot be thought about in isolation and that “developing good content requires a thoughtful interweaving of all three key sources of knowledge” (p. 1029). Technology in this scenario is not an extra or an add-on: it is fully part of the process and this is difficult as it requires teachers and designers to think about differently about the pedagogy and content they already work with.
A useful illustrative example of TPCK – one that I have encountered through my teaching experiences – relates to fairy tales. As an elementary school teacher, I have used fairy tales with a variety of grade levels in a multitude of ways: they are very accessible as most students have experience with them. Throughout a unit, we often start with a familiar tale, discuss different features that identify a fairy tale, look at character development and at alternative versions of the same story. Consistently, the same pedagogic tools are important: modelling; different levels of questioning for different ability levels; and, both collaborative and individual work. The tools I choose to use, however, depend on the makeup of the class. Are there more EAL learners who many not relate to these fairy tales? Are there certain tales that will have a greater and more meaningful impact? My knowledge of the students is crucial in this instance to ensure successful engagement levels and for students to feel success.
Last year, instead of adopting a prescriptive approach to my grade 5 students’ writing at the end of the unit, I incorporated technology to facilitate greater flexibility as to how the task at hand would unfold. It wasn’t me deciding what the students should be getting out of the unit: rather, the onus was on the students to take ownership for their own learning. The students formed groups and I asked them to create a stop motion video as the culmination of our fairy tale unit. Some students chose to recreate a well-known tale. Other groups created their own fairy tales using the features we had already discussed. There was one group who created just one scene from Cinderella in meticulous detail: it was fabulous! By asking the students to create a stop motion video, I took a back seat, and allowed the students to be more creative (many used plasticine to create their characters), develop new skills (some had never made a stop motion video before!) and were able to demonstrate their learning to me in much more personalised way. I feel this is a moment when all the TPCK came together and worked in harmony!
Mishra, P. & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for integrating technology in teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), pp. 1017-1054.