For my article
reviews I was assigned to read “Teaching and Technology: The Hidden Effects of
Computers on Teachers and Students” and “Teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Learning
Activity Types: Curriculum-based Technology Integration Reframed.” Both of
these articles helped me to better understand TPACK and how to use it correctly in the classroom.
The article “Teaching and Technology: The Hidden Effects
of Computers on Teachers and Students” begins by talking about how the western
nations are struggling economically, with authority relations and in values. It
then goes on to say how many people believe that the main problems causing
these issues are in our education system. It states that the solution to these
problems is by focusing more on the technology in the classroom and that
computers should be introduced in all schools and emphasized greatly. After
all, learning how to use technology is a skillset that all students will need
when they eventually compete for jobs. Furthermore, the article explains how
technology can make teaching easier for the teacher as well as more fun for the
students.
However, this article
also talks about the dangers of implementing computers into every content area.
Although computers are a great aid for teachers to use, it should not be the
main educator and should only be used as an aid when it will add to instruction
instead of distracting from it. Finally, this article explains that merely
placing computers in all of the schools will not solve our problems. Also,
teachers will have to learn how to use technology. Even if they don’t like
technology, students will need to know how to use technology efficiently in the
future and it is our job as educators to help them learn.
The article “Teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content
Knowledge and Learning Activity Types: Curriculum-based Technology Integration
Reframed” discusses the uses of TPACK in the classroom. It also gives teachers
advice on how to use it and many examples or activities for the teachers to use
to better integrate it into the classroom. TPACK is described as the combination
of Content Knowledge (CK), Pedagogical
Knowledge (PK), Technological Knowledge (TK), Pedagogical Content Knowledge
(TPK), and Technological Content Knowledge (TCK). This article goes over each
of these areas of TPACK in detail. The article also explains that at
this moment teachers are not integrating technology into the classroom efficiently.
It further explains that many teachers use "technocentric" methods
when using technology in their classrooms which means the lessons are centered around
the technology and no other factors. However, the advice and
examples in this article aren’t technocentric strategies and they instead emphasize
the importance of helping teachers develop and apply a true understanding of
technology, pedagogy, content, and context in their lessons.
Unfortunately since
technology and our understanding of technology are constantly changing, it is
hard to come up with specific ways of integrating technology into the classroom.
The constant evolution of technology warrants the constant grows in our use and
understanding of technology in the classroom. Another reason why it is
difficult to fully integrate technology into the classroom is because there isn’t
just one right way to do it. The lesson; area of study; knowledge, attitude and
beliefs of the teacher; as well as everything about the students will determine
how to correctly integrate technology into that one lesson alone.
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Teacher education programs are trying to teach today’s preservice teachers how to use the wide range of technologies – from old-school software and tools such as PowerPoint, videos and laptops to those ubiquitous tablets and smartphones – as classroom tools, not just as social devices for communicating with friends or playing games.
ReplyDeleteBut because of rapid technological change, the need to fit more class requirements into a curriculum already filled with state-mandated courses, and the hiring practices of schools recruiting new teachers, many teachers colleges are finding it difficult to integrate technology education into their teacher preparation programs.
The result is a “to each its own” approach to teacher education, as the teaching colleges strive to work technology in without taking content and pedagogy out. Presently schools of education develop their own technology-based curricula that build on best practices in the field, in compliance with the recognized standards in the profession.
I did the research regarding TPACK in WVU and am applying and experimenting the Technology curriculum based on my research and the vision from our program. I hope all of you can implement what you have learn from TPACK as you become the teacher from my ongoing experiments in our class!