This was the first time that I was introduced to the TPACK method. My first thoughts were that it was somewhat confusing, but as I dove into the articles I realized that this method is a good one. It really lays the groundwork for a solid teaching method that allows you to encompass the more important aspects. In today's classrooms there is no doubt that standards, technology, and even content in some areas are changing at a fairly rapid pace. The TPACK method insures that you are encompassing technological knowledge, pedagogical knowledge,and content knowledge at the same time.
In my opinion the teachers that i remember being great teachers and also my favorite teachers were very well rounded. As a student it awesome to be in a class where the teacher not only knows what they are talking about, how to use the tools they have around them, and also keeps the class somewhat challenging. Now that I am on the downward slope to becoming a teacher myself, I think that the TPACK method will be one that I really try to implement into my courses as much as possible. I feel like this method will allow me to offer a different point of view to my ag classroom.
It is no secret that many ag classrooms don't utilize technology in the classroom as much as they should in my opinion. However the technology used in the wood shops and welding shops is often utilized to its full potential. I feel like pursuing that same standard in the classroom would only be of a great benefit to my future students. The TPACK method will be a a great tool for me to use to make sure that my lessons are right on track.
In the group discussion that we had in class it was clear that we all took parts of the article the same way, but we also interpreted parts of it differently. All of us agreed that you need to know what your teaching, make sure the content is age/level appropriate, but also know how to use technology to better communicate each lesson. we also agreed that this method would be very useful to us all in our future classrooms.
From the additional articles that each of us were assigned I gained some useful information. One article was about the TPACK system being introduced to pre-service teachers like myself, and how this method was introduced, how the pre-service teachers viewed it, how they learned, and there thoughts about it. The main point i gained form this article was the pre-service teachers all felt that collaboration and working together was the best way to grasp this method. Another article was a survey of students in teacher education programs and there knowledge of different technological tools. The last artilcle was the one that i enjoyed the most from the discussion. It was about taking more hands on technology courses while in teachers education programs. In my opinion that would be a great asset for all future teachers. My goal is to also attend seminars or conferences throughout my teaching career to always try to keep up with what is going on.
The TPACK method is one that I truly foresee being beneficial in my future. It will give me just one more tool in my tool bag to use and hopefully it will be one that all of my future students can benefit from. Too often teachers become complacent and set in there ways. My challenge to myself and all fellow future educators is to never stop learning and never stop trying to become even better. You never know how far you will go if don't always keep pushing forward.
Keeping a student engaged in the classroom is sometimes a very hard thing to do, but also very fulfilling when it is possible to get them to pay attention. I like what you said about collaboration for pre service teachers. I wouldn't mind doing things on my own and then everyone coming together to share ideas. This way, we could all learn from each other and tweak our own work.
ReplyDeleteThis was the very first time I learned what the TPACK was and I agree that it is very valuable information that helps teachers become balanced to become better teachers in the future. The more tools you have the more comfortable you will be and organized. This will help with any occasion you may have.
ReplyDeleteI like how you mentioned that in an ag classroom that technology isn't used very often, but that it is used to its full potential in wood shop and welding classes. And I also agree that all of my favorite teachers have been well rounded.
ReplyDeleteI like how you mentioned that people overlook the usefulness of TPACK. I think teachers that do try and include technology in their daily activities don't realize that what they are trying to accomplish actually has a name, TPACK. If they were aware they might better understand how to be a better teacher and how to integrate technology into the class correctly by making sure they are still covering the other two important ares of content and pedagogy.
ReplyDeleteHands-on technology courses in the teacher education program would be extremely helpful. The teaching classes that we take are helpful, but if they were more specific to our content area then it would help us in all 3 facets of the TPACK framework.
ReplyDeleteAg teachers do tend to use less technology within the classroom vs in the shop. I think this is do to hands on learning, agriculture teachers like to demonstrate the lessons with live models such as in the shop. If we start using technology within the classroom to lecture what the assignment is about, then using hands on demonstrations for those who are kinesthetic learners.
ReplyDeleteThis was also the first time I was introduced to TPACK and I agree it is very difficult to understand at first. I also agree with you in the aspect that after learning about TPACK I would like to use this framework myself so I can be that teacher that teaches the class the students enjoy.
ReplyDeleteYour reflection over TPACK was impressive! I like how you mentioned that even content was always changing just like technology!! This is so true! Scientists, historians and even mathematicians are constantly discovering new research. As teachers it is important to be up to date with technology but even more with content and pedagogical techniques. Awesome reflection!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement that technology can be useful in any class and that we should utilize this resource. I also agree that teachers overlook TPACK and dont incorporate tech into their lessons at all; I believe this hurts students and causes them to not pay as much attention as they would with technology in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI personally do not like the idea of technology playing such a big role in today's education system, but if we as educators do not adapt to the changes, then we fail. TPACK will help all of us to be more well rounded educators.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean when you talk about how the actual teaching in the agricultural education can’t find a common place for technology use and that’s the reason I introduce the concept of the flipped classroom. We can obtain the knowledge of a specific area when teachers introduce the contents via technology before the class; then, engaging in the hands on activities from students to confirm what they have learned from videos. Teachers clarifying the contents via hands on facilitate students’’ learning.
ReplyDeleteTPACK isn’t a tool kit, but more of a construct or goal to which the colleges aspire. It gives a philosophy for moving forward as we draw three concentric circles on a piece of paper, representing technology, pedagogy and content knowledge. The point at which all three circles overlap is the “sweet spot” in which – ideally – faculty should be operating most of the time.
Like many other teacher education programs around the country, I am experimenting with various models to determine how best to work technology into its core courses and thus ensure that teacher candidates know content, pedagogy and technology. I think it’s a beautiful picture of what education should look like if we get there but I also feel guilty that all of you as my “white rats” will be my ongoing experiments to fulfill that ideal and beautiful picture…
I love reading your reflection!!
I believe, as well, that following the TPACK model will allow us to become better, well-rounded, educators. I have certainly observed many teachers who were set in their ways as well, and those were the classrooms in which I observed the least lack of motivation by the students. So, I believe, like you mentioned, that it is important to continue learning and striving for better methods of instruction delivery and technological advancements which may make the classroom more efficient and engaging.
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