An ICT Certificate but what does it mean for Teaching and Learning?

This week we unpacked the requirements of Queensland’s Smart Classrooms Professional Development Framework.  

The framework outlines how important it is for teachers to not just use ICT as a subject area but to implement it in all areas of their profession. I strongly agree with Fluck’s (as cited in Finger, Jamieson-Proctor, Russel, Russel, 2007, p . 8) belief that the intention of ICT integration is not to focus on ICT skills per se, but rather to focus on achieving curriculum objectives and learning outcomes by embedding ICT into the activities, strategies and resources of the curriculum plan”. The framework outlines expectations for ICT implementation through; Professional Values, Professional Relationships, Professional Knowledge and Professional Practise

So where to from here? I have expectations of a smart classroom but how can ICT be implemented effectively?  

Answer - TPACK

Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge or TPACK is the framework teachers should be mindful of when developing ICT integrated curriculum. In order for TPACK to take place a teacher should consider and combine their;

• Pedagogical knowledge; is a knowledge of different teaching theories and approaches
• Content Knowledge; is a knowledge of subject area
• Technological Knowledge; a knowledge of different technologies and how they can be used to improve learning    

An example of effective TPACK may be a teacher is using Discovery Learning as the pedagogy, their content maybe geography and mapping the local community and the technology may be the use of Google Earth.

TPACK is further explained in the below video  

TPACK 101 from Clare Kilbane on Vimeo.

This week’s articles entitled ‘Generation Cut and Paste’ and ‘Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants’ particularly struck a chord with me, for several reasons. I often find myself stuck between the two generations. Sometimes I naturally think as a Digital native, attune to the ways of thinking ‘technologically’, then there are days when I sit in an ICT lesson and feel that I am becoming a digital immigrant!   

After reading ‘Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants’ my interpretation of a digital native compared to a digital immigrant is, a digital immigrant sees the ever evolving technologies as a threat or challenge where as the digital native sees new technologies just the next transition forward.  

The article ‘Generation Cut and Paste’ stresses why we should work with technologies rather than fight them. I feel articles such as this highlight the importance of teaching our students the necessary tools to manoeuvre around the mass of information available to them in a safe way and effective way. For me this article reminded me of a previous practicum experience where students were taught of the importance of authentic work and not to believe everything they encounter on the World Wide Web. This Tree Octopus Webpage had an entire class of year 5 students convinced there was such a thing as a tree octopus.

I also explored some of the ‘101 Ways For Classroom 1-1 Computing’ on the Google Groups Forum. This document from the Victorian Department of Education’s ePotential Website had a range of great website/ terminology and software for ICT integration. Through this resource I developed:

·         An understanding of Widgets.

·         A detailed understanding of Kahootz and the teaching and learning potential.

·         An understanding of how to make a voki and built one for the top of this blog

So the message I took from this week’s adventures was the technology train has arrived and its on the move, it’s entirely up to you if you want to get on or be left behind!

 

References

Finger, G. Russell, G. Jamieson-Proctor, R. Russell, N. (2007).Transforming Learning with ICT: Making it Happen. NSW: Pearson Education Australia.

Head, B. (2008). Generation Cut and Paste. Retrieved from:        http://www.zagami.info/4001EPS/Readings/Entries/2011/3/7_Week_2.html

Kohler, M. (n.d.). TPACK 101. Retrieved March 10, 2011 from: http://mkoehler.educ.msu.edu/tpack/

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. Retrieved from:  http://www.zagami.info/4001EPS/Lectures/Entries/2011/3/7_Lecture_2.html

Wikipedia. (2011). Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. Retrieved March 10, 2011, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_Pedagogical_Content_Knowledge#Technology_knowledge_.28TK.29

Zagami, J. (2011). 4001EPS ICT and Pedagogy Lecture 2. Retrieved from;  http://www.zagami.info/4001EPS/Lectures/Entries/2011/3/7_Lecture_2.html