Understanding Where I Fall Using the TPACK Model

   

Photograph sourced from first5LA YouTube channel

Every school year, I wonder to myself how can I get better as a teacher. Never has it crossed my mind that I could get a better understanding of technology and how to use it to strengthen my teaching and my students learning.  My first graders are like sponges, they absorb MOST of everything that they observe/learn. This would be the perfect time to introduce, incorporate, and assign lessons using technology. I want to do this by looking closely at the TPACK theory when I am creating my lessons. The TPACK theory stands for Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. I too saw this long name for the theory and got overwhelmed. However, this theory can be explained in easier words. The TPACK theory overlaps three different components of learning. To start, we will look at the content knowledge, that is the background understanding that the teacher has within the content of the curriculum; for example in a first grade classroom that would be understanding of addition and subtraction. The pedagogical component is how teachers do the teaching of the content using specific teaching methods that is effective for student learning; if we are looking at addition and subtraction, the teaching method could be using manipulatives to visually show them it works. The third component is combined with the other two and adds the use of technology to enhance learning; the technology for addition and subtraction could be the students creating a Canva, that uses the white board option for them to example and show their work on how they solved the problem. The video below created by Common Sense Education, does a good job of explaining TPACK and how teachers can use it in their classroom. 

Video Sourced from Common Sense Education on YouTube

Students now a days know how to use technology without even being taught. In my classroom, my students help me with technology problems all the time. This is because they have grown up with it and they have a strong understanding and positive relationship with technology. Whether that means their tablets, the TV, the internet, or video game consoles, they know how to use it and they want to use it. As a teacher, I need to know how to incorporate their love and knowledge of technology with their content.  This is exactly what the TPACK model does. It is important to remember the why when conducting lessons using the model. In the article, What is TPACK Theory and How Can It Be Used in the Classroom, explains the importance of TPACK because it allows teachers to combine technology with the content and pedagogy to create a learning environment that is effective for all our students.

Quick Look at a Lesson Using TPACK in a First-Grade Classroom: 

After diving deeper into the TPACK Theory, I decided that I wanted to create a reading lesson that I can use in my classroom. To start, I need to make sure that I know the content that I am teaching. In this lesson, the students will be learning the sequencing of a story. In our curriculum, it has many lessons retelling a read aloud from beginning, middle, and end. This is a huge struggle for some of my students. The pedagogy of this lesson or the how, that my students will be participating in many sequencing lessons using stories that they are very familiar with like The Three Little Pigs or The GingerBread Man to become familiar with why it is important to give details about a story in order by beginning, middle, and end. The students will then be listening to four different stories throughout the week. They can pick one of the stories that they felt most comfortable with and create a Padlet to sequence their story using pictures, words, videos, or audios to show their understanding of the order of the story. As I have only been teaching for seven years, I know that this will take time for my students to have the skill to do this independently but once they do, it'll be a project that they will never forget. While creating lessons that follow the TPACK theory, I will keep this picture nearby as it has all the elements that need to be included shown. The picture of the kids, the target, the teacher, the telescope, and the positive attitude about using TPACK will guide me towards success. 

Photograph sourced from Discovering the TPACK Model on YouTube

Where I as an Educator fall using the TPACK Model: 

Every year I ask myself "How can I be a better teacher?" and every year I end doing the same exact thing that I have done in the past. Now, for me that works but I want to BETTER. By reviewing the TPACK model, I realize that my weakest component is the technological knowledge. In my earlier blogs, I mentioned that I am very good at understanding technology, but I lack in it when it comes to incorporating it in my lessons where the students are doing the creating. I feel that I have a good understanding of the content and how to teach it to all of my students no matter where they fall academically. I never try to teach them because I am scared. Well, I am not scared, I am more so worried that my students will struggle so much that they will shut down and immediately never want to try it again. The technology component is usually always a video or game like Kahoot that my students are not truly using technology to express their understanding. Already, just being two weeks into school my students have watched many videos and played many Booklets or Kahoots. Now, from these I can see who gets the correct answer to questions, but I am not giving them the chance to create on their own. Today, we were learning about animals protecting their young. We played a Blooket that asked students questions about adult animals and baby animals. Instead, I could have had them create Nearpod using videos, pictures, words, or drawings to show what they learned about animals protecting their young. 

I want to be the teacher that creates engaging lessons that my students will remember forever and share how they learned through activities that they love. 

GIF source: Capital FM

                                                                                                                                                  

References: 

barristars. (2017, January 15). Discovering the TPACK model [Video]. YouTube. 

   Canada, M.H. (2021, May 13) What is TPACK Theory and how can we use it in the classroom? McGraw Hill Canada

Kurt, S. (2019, September 16) TPACK: Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Framework-Educational Technology

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