TPACK... What is it?

For those of you who think I have gone giddy and have started spouting some new language associated with mobile phones, I am here to let you know that I am of sane mind (well, most of the time!) and I know what I mean. Finally, TPACK is nothing to do with mobile phones.
 So, what on earth is TPACK? Well, today I learnt that this is an acronym for The Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge Framework. What a mouthful!
So, what is it?

To understand this we have to look back a little. In his article, "Those Who Understand: Knowledge Growth in Teaching", Lee. S Shulman (1986), explored what teaching had become and where it was headed. He explored the way teaching was in the late 1800's and then compared the curricula expectations of that time with what was taking part in the 1980's. He discovered that there had been a shift in the training and focus that teachers were given. Previously, the focus was on the content that was taught and the more modern style was on the practical application of teaching with less content knowledge expected. He felt that this was an unpalatable situation and decided to continue to explain his theory that teaching should be a combination of both. This required the teacher to show and discuss content with students in such a way that learners would begin to expand, explore and explain the content, not just repeat the basics, as in rote learning. In essence the learner would think intensely about the subject, own it and develop their own knowledge and in turn, be able to explain it to others.  He called this Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK).
Since that time, Technology or ICT (Information and Communications Technology) in all of its forms has become as common in useage as a pen and paper was previously. The dilemma has become how to convey the skills to others so that the learning is felt, seen, heard and known, even at the deepest level.  It also must be done so that each individual learns in a way that they are comfortable and  they are able to assimilate information in their own preferred method. If you are someone who learns through a hands on experience, you may have difficulty learning in a traditional classroom, so the teacher tailors the lesson to meet your learning style.
TPACK is where all three areas, Content Knowledge, Pedagogical Knowledge and Technological Knowledge meld together to enhance and emphasise the skills of the learner for valuable and in depth learning to be conveyed and take place. The student is lead gently through a series of tasks until understanding is complete. The outcome is that the learner has this information deeply embedded and is able to fully understand and if required, pass it on to others.

A learning experience that embraces these areas is attached in the form of a video. The explanation given enabled my understanding and I submit it here for your further information.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UDhyiQSPHTc


Reference:
Figg, C. (2011, Oct 18). Understanding TPACK: The Professor [Video file].Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UDhyiQSPHTc
Shulman, L. Those who Understand: Knowledge Growth in Teaching. Educational Researcher, 15(2),4-14. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/1175860