Week 2: Engagement Activity 2: TPACK

A pedagogy is the way that the teacher teaches the learner (CQUniversity Australia, 2012).  Digital pedagogy is the way that the teacher teaches the learner through utilising information communications technology (ICTs) or digital technology that may include the internet, computers, mobile phones, iPods, iPads, digital voice recorders or digital microscopes (CQUniversity Australia, 2012).  It is important that the teacher chooses to utilise digital technology to improve learning outcomes as opposed to using digital technology meaninglessly (CQUniversity Australia, 2012).  Productive pedagogy is way of teaching that supports high order thinking, problem solving, collaboration, adjusting teaching to learning styles and ensuring content is relevant to students to promote optimal learning outcomes (CQUniversity Australia, 2012).

TPACK stands for the Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge framework (CQUniversity Australia, 2012).  The TPACK framework is a way or method of teaching that focuses on the use of digital technology to promote effective learning and teaching (CQUniversity Australia, 2012).  The other important aspects of TPACK involve being very familiar with the teaching content and understanding how to effectively teach the content to ensure a thorough student understanding (CQUniversity Australia, 2012).  The effective use of the TPACK framework requires the teacher to have a very good understanding of a variety of digital technologies, to be able to utilise them effectively, in different situations (CQUniversity Australia, 2012).  TPACK should also be used in conjunction with Bloom's Taxonomy which assists the teacher to determine effective teaching strategies based on the students current level of knowledge and the complexity of the topic content (CQUniversity Australia, 2012).  

Bloom's Taxonomy considers the cognitive, affective and psychomotor aspects of learning (Clark, 2010).  The cognitive domain involves developing cognitive skills through the process of developing knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation skills (Clark, 2010).  The affective domain involves developing emotional skills through the process of receiving phenomena, responding to phenomena, valuing, organisation and internalising values (Clark, 2010).  The psychomotor domain involves developing physical and motor skills through developing skills related to perception, set, guided response, mechanism, complex overt response, adaptation and origination (Clark, 2010).

In the future, I would aim to ensure I have a thorough understanding of the content I am going to teach (CQUniversity Australia, 2012).  I will also aim to ensure that I am also well practiced, familiar and confident with the technology that I am going to use to deliver the content (CQUniversity Australia, 2012).  Whether it be the interactive whiteboard, vokis, wikis, blogs or any other technological aide, I plan to practice using the technology before using it in the classroom (CQUniversity Australia, 2012).

References:              

Clark, D. (2010). Bloom’s taxonomy of learning domains: the three types of learning.
            Retrieved from

            http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html#cognitive

CQUniversity Australia. (2012). EDED20491-ICTs for learning
             design: online studyguide. Rockhampton, Qld: Author.
             Retrieved from         
             http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/mod/page/view.php?id=115235