My journey started in September of 2020. This is when I decided to take a big jump and join the master's degree program for Innovative Learning through Touro University. The reason I say it was a big jump for me is because Innovative Learning was an area that I felt most uncomfortable with as a teacher. Due to this awareness, I have pushed myself outside of my comfort zone, and I can proudly say that I am weeks away from earning my degree! The acronym TPACK stands for Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. As you can see from the image above, there are three main areas that come together to form the TPACK. The Technological Content Knowledge (TCK) area is what we describe as the "What am I teaching?" After teaching 3rd grade for the past 7 years, the content is probably my most comfortable area of TPACK. However, adding the technological component was outside my comfort zone. I mean, sure, I had students on the computers typing reports or googling information for a project. However, I now have students using GimKit, Kahoot, Quizizz, FlipGrid, Google Classroom, Zoom, Clever, No Red Ink, Jamboards, EdPuzzle and more. My awareness and growth in the technological realm is benefiting my students and their content understanding. The Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) area is the "How will I teach it?" This is where the choices a teacher makes to "teach" the content becomes most important for having the information "stick" for students' understanding and learning. Since utilizing more technology with my students, I have noticed the content "sticking" more for most of them. In the beginning of my journey I found it incredible that different gaming sites helped students learn better and easier. Then I thought more about it and realized that the gaming is what was engaging for them and ultimately made it fun and exciting. When education is fun and exciting for any student, but for my 3rd graders, it really made a difference in their learning. I was much more successful in my test scores this year than any other year in the past. Finally the Technological Content Knowledge (TCK) area...talk about changes for me! As I mentioned above, adding more engaging technology to teach the content standards has made a world of difference for me as a teacher and for my students as learners. I am a silver-lining thinker. I believe when our world turned upside down due to COVID 19, one of the several silver-linings is the expansion and knowledge of online learning, online learning platforms and engaging online gaming sites. There are several teachers that would have never ventured out and learned what they have this past year about virtual learning and gaming, had it not been forced upon them due to COVID. I am thankful for this extra push because I feel we are all better teachers by challenging ourselves to think outside the box and change the way we teach (pedagogy) to be for effective and efficient teachers for our young learners! To learn more about TPACK, please visit their website at www.tpack.org/.
2 Comments
Amy Bardwell
7/8/2021 10:57:48 am
Kimberlee! I agree we have to think outside the box and change the way we teach our students! I look forward to hearing all about your innovative lesson plans next academic school year! Yeah!
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Jamie Allison Lutz
7/8/2021 02:38:44 pm
Kimberlee,
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