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NEW NORMAL: MAKING FRUIT SALAD WITH A SPORK
September 20, 2020
This week I learned about the TPACK framework. TPACK originates from Michigan State Scholars, Dr. Mishra and Dr. Koehler (2011) who draw on their previous work (Koehler & Mishra, 2005) of pedagogical content knowledge(PCK).The content knowledge is what we teach and pedagogical knowledge is how we teach, for example.In the case of math, knowledge of fractions does not guarantee you can teach it. PCK shows pedagogical and content knowledge intertwining. According to Robertson (2013), TPACK combines three different types of knowledge: technological, pedagogical, and content. TPACK increases student motivation by pairing technology with content, knowing how we teach content, and increasing accessibility (Robertson, 2013).
To further my understanding, I created a video where I cooked using TPACK to highlight the necessity of aligning teaching, content, and technological tools. First, I asked my mom to choose any plate, bowl, and utensil. My mom gave me a large spork, a small bowl, and a serving plate. Then, my mom chose my task by selecting a numbered card, which asked me to make a fruit salad.
There was some difficulty with the task of cutting strawberries with my spork. I thought it would be easier to use the side of the spork to slice my fruit, but it only cut the skin. Once I turned the spork over, I was able to cut the fruit precisely. It was not a perfect fruit salad, yet, I completed the task.
As I teach remotely, I teach with accessibility in mind. I realized that students often do not have access to all the necessary tools. TPACK guides me to pick the right tools for student success. Technology is a powerful tool to use. To pick the right tools, you need to know the desired outcomes. TPACK impacts students by making learning accessible.