TRANSLATOR

Hello everybody! I hope you are having a good day :) This weeks task was based on Matthew J. Koehler and Punya Mishras depiction of 

„What is Technological Content Knowledge?“ 

Because it is quite a long text I will explain the main points in this following summary. I hope you understand the idea of TPACK afterwards! It is a very useful model that shows which areas of knowledge make a good and competent teacher. 

I will explain to you the 5 most important components of this model. 

•  I would say the first important component would be background. What is this model based on? It stems from Lee Shulmans PCK (Pedagogical Content Knowledge),  which is about the transformation of subject matter and finding different ways to present it in a pedagogical context. The idea is that effective teaching comes from well organised and integrated knowledge from different domains

• Knowledge of student thinking and learning
• Knowledge of subject matter
• (increasingly) knowledge of technology

• 2.  The second important component is the Technological knowledge, which is one of the three factors in this model. It goes beyond traditional notion of computer literacy. The idea of this teaching concept is that teachers need to learn when technologies are best suited to adress subject matter learning. But many teachers earned their degrees when educational technology was not as developed as it is today and there is not enough training for teachers. This is an issue that needs to be worked on! 

• 3. The second factor in this model is Content knowledge, which is the teachers knowledge about a subject matter to be learned or taught. It is about the deeper fundamentals of educational content.This knowledge can be increased in different ways, for example by studying Concepts, theories, ideas, organisational frameworks, knowledge of evidence and proof.

• 4. And lastly the third factor of this model: Pedagogical knowledge is the deeper knowledge about the process and practice methods of teaching and learning. It is essential that teachers understand students processes of leaning. Moreover they need to have knowledge of classroom management and how to combine these two fields. How do cognitive, social and developmental theories of learning apply in the classroom?

• 5. The last important component of this model I would say is interaction. The factors do not work individually, they all work together and influence each other. Koehler and Mishra depict this in the model with the technological content knowledge, technological pedagogical knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge, where the three components overlap. They all come together in the middle of the model as TPACK. It is the basis of effective teaching with technology through interrelated knowledge.

I hope this explains everything! Thanks for reading :)