.png)
Niess, M. L., van Zee, E. H., & Gillow-Wiles, H. (2010). Knowledge growth in teaching Mathematics/science with spreadsheets. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 27(2), 42–52. https://doi.org/10.1080/21532974.2010.10784657
Niess et al. (2010) call for integrating the Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) framework with teaching and learning using technology. PDK in education is an approach that combines a teacher's understanding of content knowledge, teaching strategies, and effective learning interventions. The article emphasizes that a teacher's PCK needs to convert to effective use of educational technologies. Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) is a framework that aims to promote practical usage of technology by ensuring educators have a holistic approach to utilizing technology in the classroom. Niess et al. (2010) strive to examine the use of spreadsheets to provide innovative teaching designs to promote effective learning in the science and math disciplines. The study describes five levels of teacher development that describe the process and level of integrating technology in the classroom: Recognizing, Accepting, Adapting, Exploring, and Advancing.
This study was conducted with twelve K-12 educators in an online graduate-level course. All of the participants had at least minimal experience using spreadsheets; however, they had yet to utilize spreadsheets to teach in the classroom. The participants all had a baseline TPACK level of recognition implicated by the acceptance through the application process. Teaching observations found that ten teachers approached teaching from a teacher-centered pedagogy. In the teaching-centered approach, the teacher controls the direction of the learning environment.
Conversely, two participants were identified as having a student-centered approach, where the learning experience is more of a shared journey and collaborative relationship. At the end of the course, when evaluating the teacher's TPACK levels, there was a significant shift to a more advanced TPACK; eight teachers were found to be at the accepting level, two at the adapting level, and two were identified at the exploring level. Interestingly, the four teachers with more advanced TPACK scores also gravitated toward student-centered teaching approaches.
This study helps us understand the importance of offering educators professional development and training opportunities to implement technology effectively. This research indicates that teacher's previous experience, teaching pedagogy, and perceptions of spreadsheets impact their use of the technology in the classroom. Yıldız et al. (2022) explore how higher education instructors perceive and apply the TPACK framework in a flipped classroom. I find alignment with the implications of my study with my role in working with faculty to transition face-to-face courses online.
It's crucial to acknowledge that professors bring various experiences and comfort levels with technology into this transition. To address this diversity in the comfort level and experience with technology, I aim to develop customized training modules that cater to different proficiency levels, leveraging the insights gained from the TPACK research.
Additional Reading: Yıldız, E., Doğan, U., Özbay, Ö., & Seferoğlu, S. S. (2022). Flipped classroom in higher education: An investigation of instructor perceptions through the lens of TPACK. Education and Information Technologies, 27(8), 10757–10783. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11059-8
Commentaires