The TPACK-model, why?

In my privious blog I wrote an explanation about the TPACK model and what it includes. In this one I continue on this and discribe why we need a TPACK-model, what the added vallue of  TPACK can be and how the TPACK-model can be used. This in relation with everything I have learned so far in the course "Pedagogies for Flexible Learning Supported by Technology" within my mastertrack.

The TPACK-model, why? Why do we need this model?
First, to explain why this model is useful and important I have to mention that this model is based on a previous model, the Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), discribed by Shulman (1986). Their model consists of the Pedagogical Knowledge and the Content Knowledge, and the integration between. Luckely in our education their is already paid much attention to these areas. Teachers need to know what students have to learn (content) and how they can do that (pedagogy) and how they can match these two domains.

In my opinion, with the advent of technology, it is very important that also attention also is paid to this aspect. Technologies can not longer be avoided and we can not deny it anymore. The TPACK-model adds this technology domain and mentions that teachers beside knowledge about pedagogy and content, also need to have knowledge about technology. This is necessary because teachers need to know how to deal with technology which requires knew knowledge and skills, but also to assess the meaning of this technology and the potentials of it for education. Because this model mentions the importance of adding the technological knowledge within this model, curriculumdesigners, schools and teachers can take this model into their account to improve their education.

In addition, using technology can lead to changes in content or pedagogy. Because the upcoming tendens of using technology in education, more options and more pedagogical approaches apear. (See also my blog about pedagogical approaches) Because the TPACK-model notices the importance of integrating the three domains, teachers also have to consider their current padogical approach and if necessary, adjust their pedagogy. This is also linked with flexibility. (See also my blog about flexibility) The use of technology increases the opportunities (flexibility) for students and this asks more skills and knowledge of teachers. It is important that teachers recognize this, and according to the TPACK-model, integrate their content, pedagogy and technology and if necessary, adjust their education.

Another point I want to make about this topic is that the use of technology in education is still not the most favorite part of teaching for every teacher. Sometimes teachers are forced to use a technology, because the school obliged this. Schools are in a competitive position with each other and using new technologys is a way to differentiate. When teachers don't support this idea it doesn't work in an effective way. With this TPACK model, it is clear that with new technologies, also attaintion and support must be given to teachers to help them acquire the new skills and knowledge and not only to help them how to use the technology, but also how to combine the technology within their pedagogy and content with all the changes this entails. Schools and teachers must be supported in understanding this. If teachers will be supported in using the technology in combination with their own pedagogy and own content, hopefully they will be more motivated to contribute.

The perception of using technology in education should be changed because of TPACK. I think, because of this model, teachers can be made aware about the movement from a situation of "there is a technology and how can I use it" towards a situation of "how can we connect the technology with the content and pedagogy, and how does these areas change because of it?" or towards a situation of "which technology can we use in connection with our pedagogy and content to support our education?" This because all the three domains are integrated in the TPACK-model.

I tried to explain why TPACK is usefull and important, but how can TPACK be used in practice? I think a good start is using the TPACK-model in teacher-training. When prospective teachers will be educated about the TPACK-model, the teachers of the future will be less affraid of the use of technology. They can already be convinced about TPACK, practise and use it in "safe" settings while they are working on their competencies and see the usefulness of using technologies. 

But this is not enough. Current teachers also need to be conviced about TPACK, because they are already teaching and already using technologies. To improve education, teachers need to improve their knowledge and skills, in general, about technology and with TPACK also about how to integrate their knowledge and skills about technology, pedagogy and content. Schools or the managemant of schools should support their teachers with TPACK. They have to convince teachers about the importance of technologies by supporting them, let them work together, exchange ideas, participate in decisions about technologies, give them opportunities to try to work with technologies and to evaluate how this works. And they have to acknowledge that it takes time. With the right help and support, teachers can enhence their expertise. 

In conclusion, the TPACK-model can be important and usefull because it stresses the importance of technology knowledge. Not only about how to use it, but also about how to combine this with the pedagogy and the content. In a world were the use of technology is inevitible, technology in education can not remain. So this is why teachers also need to pay attention to this, and this model can help them.
TPACK, with the right support, can also convince or help teachers who are still anxious to use technology by stressing the importance of using technology in connection with the matching pedagogy and content. Hopefully the TPACK-model can cause a movement in teachers perceptions from using technology because of the technology toward using technology because it can be helpfull, efficient and effective in education if we match it with the right pedagogy and content. To do this, teachers must be supported in teacher training and in schools, in such a way that using TPACK become more and more beneficial for them, students and for schools.