Reconsidering TPACK

Editor's Notes

• #2: -Technology has changed almost every aspect of life, EXCLUDING (for the most part) education.-Rapid rate of technology change, pressure on teachers to learn and integrate tech into classrooms-Cannot ask teachers to know EVERY technology-Teachers need more than technical skills, need TRAITS:flexibility of mindwillingness to experiment and tolerate ambiguity
• #3: -With that in mind, we will follow a 5 step process for thinking about why this is necessary and what these traits( creativity, willingness to experiment/flexibility) looks like in the real world-Will discuss the following: SEE ABOVE
• #4: -Brief TPACK overview-TPACK is integrated framework for reasoning about how tech connects to content knowledge and knowledge of teaching (Mishra & Koehler, 2006)-Overview C,P, and T EQUALLY IMPORTANT ARE INTERACTIONS-Framework has been very helpful in thinking about the types of knowledge that teachers need to order to successfully integrate tech into their classrooms-HOWEVER, there are some important limitations
• #5: -Among them (the limitations) is the value-free stance TPACK takes of C, P, and T. -Says only that there is a dynamic relationship between C, P, and T NOT what C, P, or T is best for the others.-We propose a re-conceptualization of content knowledge
• #6: -Gardner (2006, 2008) has stated that disciplinary thinking is greatest invention of mankind-disciplines are “mental furniture” what we think in-Disciplines are equally as important to 21st century schooling-HOWEVER many of the demanding and complex jobs of the future (and now) exist in the “in-between” -bio-mechanic, environmental engineering, interactive media design-Wagner (2008) argues that students lack ability to transfer across fields, and to real situations Not surprising given the artificial boundaries between domains in schools
• #7: -Additionally the generation of higher order skills in students advocated by the 21st century learning framework discusses these skills as if they exist in a vacuum….devoid of content-These skills must be connect to deep content knowledge---across disciplines -Important 21st century skills include moving across and synthesizing across domains-For example, traditionally there are considered strict boundaries between art and science, even seen as opposites HOWEVER historically the two have complimented each other art as a scientific tool, and as paving the way for discovery. -Eisner (1985) argues the boundaries don’t exist.
• #8: -Math-po and sci-po = unlikely junction between math/science (truth/fact) and poetry (grammatical subversion)-Act of writing deliberately and crafting poetry requires deep, comprehensive understanding -shifts focus from factual/artificial to process oriented understanding-May seem simple YET is quite complex. -High school teacher Sean Nash outlines the steps of crafting math and sci-po 1. critical reading 2. summarizing 3. identify main points/reflect on sig. 4. writing! 5. Reflect on process 6. share and receive feedback
• #9: -Most tech NOT intended for ED; teachers must know how and be willing to REPURPOSE -making a tech an ed tech requires creative input from teacher to re-design and subvert original intentions-not about “chasing” newest tech, about willingness and creativity to experiment
• #10: -repurposing requires melioration (passig, 2007)-”competence to borrow a concept from a field supposedly far removed from one’s domain and adopt it a challenge in an area of interest”-melioration acknowledges importance and necessity of cognitive skills of drawing on knowledge from various domains and combining them-KEY AREAS: CONSONANCE (innovative product by personal connection between 2 areas) CONNOTATION (significance that one attaches to information)-
• #11: -Example of Repurposing; old school assignment –word lists -uses tech to provide complexity and deep understanding BEYOND MEMORIZATION-Students find graphic illustrations representing the “essence” of the assigned words-ASSUMPTIONS: students must fully understand to find right picture, abstractconcrete-Third, danger of too concrete or fixed is undermindby having so many different illustrations (each student makes their choices available through a personal blog)-TPACK framework emphasizes teachers as decision makers, no specific tools, focus on approaches
• #12: -there is an alternative to the endless cycle of learning and relearning specific technologies -it includes providing teachers with the skills and competencies required to take control and create own ed tech-TPACK provides conceptualization of relationship between T,P, and C---but evident that 21st century skills are trans-disciplinary-skills of creativity not confined but rooted in fields-NEXT STEP:-articulate concrete methods to teach educators skills of melioration and repurposing -teacher ed programs need to provide explicit instruction on integrating tech into C and P