"The only way to be totally free is through education" - Jose Marti
Module 5: Technology in Education - TPACK Model
There are three kinds of knowledge that are considered integral to an effective teaching experience:
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Content Knowledge (CK) - the knowledge a teacher has about the subject area they intend to teach
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Pedagogical Knowledge (PK) - the knowledge a teacher has about teaching and learning
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Technological Knowledge (TK) - the knowledge a teacher has about technology and how to apply it
These three components can be combined into what is known as a TPACK diagram. Each component may or may not intersect with one or both of the others to form intersections of knowledge. The TPACK diagram may appear different for each teacher as it reflects the skills and capacites that vary between individuals.
Where am I? (My current TPACK diagram)
In Module 5, we were asked to create a TPACK diagram that reflects our current understanding in each of the three foundational areas, and how those areas are interacting with one another. I elected to use the drawing tools in Microsoft Powerpoint to design my TPACK diagram, below. Please read through the underlying motivations for the appearance of my TPACK diagram to achieve a better understanding of where I am at right now as a pre-service educator.
I chose to make all of the circles in my TPACK diagram into 3D spheres. This is because education is not a simple, flat endeavour, but rather something that is dynamic and multi-faceted and that can be approached from a number of different directions
PK
Pedagogy is the area in which I feel I have the least experience, and the most opportunity for potential growth.
I chose to make this sphere a light pink to reflect the growth and flexibility of the concepts in pedagogy, as we are constantly uncovering new methods, each one better than the last. The cursive font also references the opportunity for creativity in teaching styles.
The most important aspect of this sphere is the pink glow around it. This represents my capacity for growth and improvement. As I have just started my After-Degree in Secondary Education, I feel that I have a lot to learn in terms of teaching methodologies.
Any knowledge that I currently have in this component is sourced from designing lesson plans for the twice-monthly sessions I lead with the Junior Forest Warden group, as well as from tutoring both junior high and university mathematics
CK
Content is the largest and most well defined of all of my spheres. This is due to my history in the subject areas I would most like to teach. I have completed a B.Sc. in Earth and Atmospheric Science with Specialization in Geology as well as a B.Sc. in Mathematics with a Minor in Biology. I feel that I have acquired an excellent background in which to teach, both Mathematics, Biology, and General Sciences. While completing my B.Ed. for Secondary Education I am obtaining the necessary courses to qualify for another teaching area in Spanish. I have also lived for two years in a Spanish-speaking country, and as such I feel that I will be able to provide pupils with the necessary linguistic and cultural information to become successful in the language.
I chose to make my content sphere red because this is a very strong color related to life and passion and it represents my belief that content is the life force of education. The font was selected to show the importance of content while at the same time showing the rigidity of this fact-based knowledge.
CONTENT
Pedagogy
Technology
TK
For me, technology is best represented by a midsized sphere. I chose blue for this sphere because I feel the color is usually associated with technological advances (like the blue glow of a computer screen). The font reflects my feelings about technology: clean, stylish, and universally acceptable.
I feel that I have an adequate knowledge base in terms of technology. I am digitally literate and try to be as paper-free as possible, which has led me to using a number of useful educational apps (Notability, Cram.com, Evernote, Google Drive, etc.) as well as integrating technology into my assignments whenever possible and appropriate. I recognize that there is still some room for growth and skill acquisition, that is why this sphere is surrounded by a slight blue glow that shows that I still have potential for further development.
TPK
The overlap between technology and pedagogy shows that a fair amount of my technological knowledge has been acquired in relation to how it can be used in a classroom setting, whether through formal application in education classes, or in applying this knowledge to my own learning endeavours.
PCK
The degree of overlap between my content and pedagogy spheres reflects my experience in tutoring mathematics at the junior high and university levels, being a marker for introductory university mathematics courses, and teaching ecology and forestry components to the Junior Forest Wardens. There is still a great deal of overlap yet to be achieved, especially in regards to teaching a second language.
TCK
There is only a slight overlap between my technology and content spheres. This is because I have not yet had the opportunity to apply a great deal of my content knowledge to the technological applications available to me, nor do I know a great deal about content-specific technologies available to me. The spheres are not completely separate as I have used some content-specific technologies, such as Wolfram Alpha, matrix calculators, GIS mapping and volume programs, and a number of online dictionaries and translators. In this area I still have a lot of room for growth and achievement.
TPACK
The triad of content, pedagogy, and technology still leaves me with a lot of room for improvement. I have yet to achieve a competent level of experience integrating appropriate technology into the teaching methods that would best convey necessary content to my target Grade 10-12 students. Throughout the course of my Education degree, and in my future teaching career, I aim to grow this triad area above all others.