The TPACK model is based on the PCK model by Shulman (1986, as mentioned in Koehler and Mishra, 2008), which stated that teachers should integrate their pedagogical and content knowledge in their teaching in order to find the best way to explain something to the students. Koehler and Mishra (2008; 2009) added technological knowledge to this, stating that teachers should also integrate technologies in their teaching, as long as these are useful.
The TPACK model is a model that illustrates the integration of (three) different kinds of knowledge of teachers. These are the content knowledge (i.e. knowledge on the subject matter to be learned/taught), pedagogical knowledge (i.e. on pedagogical approaches, roughly: teaching methods) and technological knowledge (i.e. “understand technology broadly enough to apply it productively at work and in […] everyday [life]”).
These kinds of knowledge can be combined (see Model beneath) into integrated knowledge, for example Technological Content Knowledge, which is knowledge on how to integrate content knowledge with technological knowledge. When all three kinds of knowledge are integrated, this results in TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge).
This integration of knowledge always occurs within a context, for example a lesson, that implies certain restrictions (for example from the content knowledge: the lesson has to be on a certain topic that the students need to learn about).
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The TPACK model (source: http://tpack.org/) |
In my former posts, I actually explained parts of this model with some examples. I wrote about inquiry learning, which is related to the pedagogical knowledge (PK) of teachers, about how a CMS (a technology) could be of use for different pedagogical approaches, which is about technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK), about a (technological) tool (KPE, an example of a CSCL environment) and how this could be used in education, which is related to technological knowledge (TK) and to technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK).
My post on flexibility in learning is not directly linked to the TPACK model, but it could be seen as an example of integration of all three kinds of knowledge (i.e. TPACK). When teachers integrate these kinds of knowledge in their teaching, they could become more flexible in their education, because they know more methods to create effective education. This makes it easier for them to adjust their education to different situations, thus enhancing flexibility.
I think that this is the added value of TPACK, that teachers can improve themselves (by acquiring new skills and knowledge) on different relevant fields - content, pedagogy and technology - and integrate these skills and knowledge in their teaching. Teachers continue learning to develop themselves professionally. They keep thinking of ways to improve education, which I think is a good thing.
If you want to hear Koehler and Mishra explaining the model themselves, I would like to recommend you to watch these entertaining videos (in five parts), or at least some of them if you don’t have enough time.
References:
- Koehler, M.J., & Mishra, P. (2008). Introducing TPCK. In: AACTE Committee on Innovation and Technology (Ed.) Handbook of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) for Educators. (pp. 3 - 29). New York: American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and Routledge.
- Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is technological pedagogical content knowledge? Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 9(1), 60-70.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteCouldn't it be that when teachers know more ways of teaching and they'll think about TPACK, that they will choose one way to teach and that they won't be given flexible courses but only more different not-flexible courses? I mean, will more knowledge by teachers necessarily lead to more freedom to choose for learners?
Hi Yara,
ReplyDeleteI like that you've added links to the video's by Koehler & Mishra!
I saw Elly's question and I'd like to respond, because I kind of agree with you that more knowledge leads to more ways of teaching but I do not think this is a given either (like Elly says). I do think however that more knowledge leads to higher selfefficacy in teacher which may lead them to try new things.
Hi!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments!
What I meant to say is that teachers are developing more knowledge (and skills), so that they have more 'resources' to choose from. This would mean that they are more likely to change their teaching, because they know more ways (for example than teachers who didn't develop their knowledge). I'm not sure whether they would actually change their education when they know these other teaching strategies, but this step would be smaller.
Hi Yara,
ReplyDeleteYou give a short overview of the TPACK model. If I were someone new to the model it would be a bit difficult to understand the overlapping parts and the importance of them But I do like your ideas about the relation between flexibility and the model, thanks. And yes.. what you have been writing in previous posts can be direclty linked to the TPACK model!