Part III: The Total PACKage
The TPACK framework has been a wonderful tool to help educators see the curriculum in a new light. TPACK stands for Technology, Pedagogy, and Content Knowledge. Below I explained each one individually and then brought them all together to create the total PACKage.
Context
I am currently the math specialist for grades 3-5. I work with the students that score the lowest on standardized tests but are not identified as special education. I have about 15 students at a time along with an aide in my room. I have the students for an hour at a time to act as their math teacher during their math block. Most of the students in my room have ADD, ADHD or ODD and as a result have low self-confidence and self-worth. It is important that I set up a positive learning environment for the students to feel comfortable to explore and take risks. However, since I only have one hour, the time constraint does impact my teaching at time.
My classroom is quite spacious and lends itself to small groups and other activities. I currently have a document camera and projector in my classroom. I also have 4 student Mac computers and a teacher laptop. Although my district is on a strict budget, they are willing to hear about new technologies and possibly look into them. However, I feel that to better suit the needs of the students that are in my room, a smartboard and iPod Touches would benefit them greatly.
Content
I want students to have an understanding about fractions. Students should be able to take fractions out of their context and still be able to understand their meaning. Once students understand what a fraction is, they can then interpret them and apply them. Fractions in general are very difficult for students to understand. As a society, we use word fractions, such as in football we say 1st quarter, or when we are telling time and it’s a quarter after 3. We teach students that fractions are a part of a whole and then we introduce them as being smaller than a whole that is until we come across improper fractions and mixed numbers. I find myself taking familiar concepts and making them strange to the students. Therefore, when teaching about fractions it is important to you resources, pictures and manipulatives to help students understand.
Technology
There are two different technologies I would like to integrate into my classroom to facilitate learning. My math block is broken into two times: whole group and small group. Therefore, I would like to use one technology during whole group and a different technology during small group time. However, both technologies could be used interchangeably. The first technology I would like to integrate is the smartboard. After conducting research on smartboards and knowing teachers who have them, I thought that would be a wonderful addition to my classroom. The interactive white board requires the students to participate. I also came across many different fraction templates that can be used on a smartboard to help visual and kinesthetic learners. The other technology I would like to integrate is the iPod Touch. The iPod Touch has a lot to offer. There are many apps that engage the students and lend themselves to practice with fractions. The iPods also serve as a calculator and a mini-machine. The students would be able to participate in online polls for collecting data about fractions and collaboration on Google docs. The other incentive to these technologies is that they can be used with every other content area and do not just limit themselves to fractions.
Pedagogy
There is no doubt that when you have students who are slower than others and may have other issues that teaching may become a bit more difficult. These are the students that need to be engaged and actively learning and participating. To aide in student learning they need to explore and uncover the concept. When beginning a unit, it is important to know where the students are coming from, what they know and what they think they know. Understanding why some students think they way they do can help guide your teaching. It is also important that the teaching “sticks”. Make the concepts and stories relevant to them and help them make a connection. As the educator, to ensure learning, I must (as said by Punya Mishra) “create simple yet unexpected, concrete, and credible, emotional stories that stick.” Another aspect I need to bring into the classroom is motivation. Many of these students are not motivated. I believe a good balance between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is needed. Praise should also be used to help the motivation. However, it is important to praise the effort and not the intelligence. Allow for students to take risks and accept failure in order to learn and grow.
Total PACKage
This is where is all comes together, the mix of technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge. In my classroom we will cover fractions (content) in a hands-on and collaborative way (pedagogy) through smartboards and iPod Touches (technology). For learning to take place, students need to relate to the concept and their environment. Students are familiar and comfortable with technology. The goal is not to teach the students technology but rather use the technology to teach students. Integrate the technology into the content so there is a natural flow. Fractions have baffled elementary school students for years. Rather than talking students through fractions, they should have the ability to explore fractions. What not a better way to explore than through an iPod Touch? This device not only contains apps and doubles as a calculator, but also has access to the internet. A small hand help device that gives students almost as much freedom as a laptop, but much more convenient. The opportunities the iPod Touch gives both the teacher and the student is exhilarating. Students already know how to use an iPod Touch, therefore, making the integration that much easier. The iPod Touch opens up communication and allows for collaboration with the teacher and other peers. The iPod Touch also can be used on an individual level for enrichment or remediation.
The other technology I want to integrate is the smartboard. The smartboard will bring fractions to life. Students will be able to explore and manipulate fractions on the board via the internet. The smartboard also engages students requiring active learning and participation. The smartboard has the ability to convey a topic with the multiple intelligences in mind. You can listen, draw, and manipulate in a short activity on the smartboard. Yet, both devices offer structure in the form of online polling and creativity by allowing exploration and collaboration.
Dream Day 1: Begin the unit by creating a poll asking the students what they think they know about fractions. Have the information for the poll on the smartboard and then have the students answer the questions. PollEverywhere shows real-time results and the results and data will be displayed on the smartboard. Gathering this data will allow for the teacher to understand where the students are and where they are coming from. With an iPod Touch in the hands of each student they will research ways in which fractions are used in the real world. Relating the concept to the students will help them to learn and understand. In small groups, the smartboard is used as a giant manipulative. Using a kidspriation template, the students can manipulate various fractions and compare them so that they can recognize and explain what fractions are. This is the first step to understanding how math is displayed through fractions.
Dream Day 2: Students are put into groups. With the groups, they must evaluate fraction apps for the iPod Touch. Is this app effective? Does it make you want to learn? Does it explain anything or is it just a game? The students will share their results by typing what they found on a Google Doc, which is displayed on the smartboard. The students can also take it a step further and create their own app with their group that explains a certain concept.
Context
I am currently the math specialist for grades 3-5. I work with the students that score the lowest on standardized tests but are not identified as special education. I have about 15 students at a time along with an aide in my room. I have the students for an hour at a time to act as their math teacher during their math block. Most of the students in my room have ADD, ADHD or ODD and as a result have low self-confidence and self-worth. It is important that I set up a positive learning environment for the students to feel comfortable to explore and take risks. However, since I only have one hour, the time constraint does impact my teaching at time.
My classroom is quite spacious and lends itself to small groups and other activities. I currently have a document camera and projector in my classroom. I also have 4 student Mac computers and a teacher laptop. Although my district is on a strict budget, they are willing to hear about new technologies and possibly look into them. However, I feel that to better suit the needs of the students that are in my room, a smartboard and iPod Touches would benefit them greatly.
Content
I want students to have an understanding about fractions. Students should be able to take fractions out of their context and still be able to understand their meaning. Once students understand what a fraction is, they can then interpret them and apply them. Fractions in general are very difficult for students to understand. As a society, we use word fractions, such as in football we say 1st quarter, or when we are telling time and it’s a quarter after 3. We teach students that fractions are a part of a whole and then we introduce them as being smaller than a whole that is until we come across improper fractions and mixed numbers. I find myself taking familiar concepts and making them strange to the students. Therefore, when teaching about fractions it is important to you resources, pictures and manipulatives to help students understand.
Technology
There are two different technologies I would like to integrate into my classroom to facilitate learning. My math block is broken into two times: whole group and small group. Therefore, I would like to use one technology during whole group and a different technology during small group time. However, both technologies could be used interchangeably. The first technology I would like to integrate is the smartboard. After conducting research on smartboards and knowing teachers who have them, I thought that would be a wonderful addition to my classroom. The interactive white board requires the students to participate. I also came across many different fraction templates that can be used on a smartboard to help visual and kinesthetic learners. The other technology I would like to integrate is the iPod Touch. The iPod Touch has a lot to offer. There are many apps that engage the students and lend themselves to practice with fractions. The iPods also serve as a calculator and a mini-machine. The students would be able to participate in online polls for collecting data about fractions and collaboration on Google docs. The other incentive to these technologies is that they can be used with every other content area and do not just limit themselves to fractions.
Pedagogy
There is no doubt that when you have students who are slower than others and may have other issues that teaching may become a bit more difficult. These are the students that need to be engaged and actively learning and participating. To aide in student learning they need to explore and uncover the concept. When beginning a unit, it is important to know where the students are coming from, what they know and what they think they know. Understanding why some students think they way they do can help guide your teaching. It is also important that the teaching “sticks”. Make the concepts and stories relevant to them and help them make a connection. As the educator, to ensure learning, I must (as said by Punya Mishra) “create simple yet unexpected, concrete, and credible, emotional stories that stick.” Another aspect I need to bring into the classroom is motivation. Many of these students are not motivated. I believe a good balance between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is needed. Praise should also be used to help the motivation. However, it is important to praise the effort and not the intelligence. Allow for students to take risks and accept failure in order to learn and grow.
Total PACKage
This is where is all comes together, the mix of technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge. In my classroom we will cover fractions (content) in a hands-on and collaborative way (pedagogy) through smartboards and iPod Touches (technology). For learning to take place, students need to relate to the concept and their environment. Students are familiar and comfortable with technology. The goal is not to teach the students technology but rather use the technology to teach students. Integrate the technology into the content so there is a natural flow. Fractions have baffled elementary school students for years. Rather than talking students through fractions, they should have the ability to explore fractions. What not a better way to explore than through an iPod Touch? This device not only contains apps and doubles as a calculator, but also has access to the internet. A small hand help device that gives students almost as much freedom as a laptop, but much more convenient. The opportunities the iPod Touch gives both the teacher and the student is exhilarating. Students already know how to use an iPod Touch, therefore, making the integration that much easier. The iPod Touch opens up communication and allows for collaboration with the teacher and other peers. The iPod Touch also can be used on an individual level for enrichment or remediation.
The other technology I want to integrate is the smartboard. The smartboard will bring fractions to life. Students will be able to explore and manipulate fractions on the board via the internet. The smartboard also engages students requiring active learning and participation. The smartboard has the ability to convey a topic with the multiple intelligences in mind. You can listen, draw, and manipulate in a short activity on the smartboard. Yet, both devices offer structure in the form of online polling and creativity by allowing exploration and collaboration.
Dream Day 1: Begin the unit by creating a poll asking the students what they think they know about fractions. Have the information for the poll on the smartboard and then have the students answer the questions. PollEverywhere shows real-time results and the results and data will be displayed on the smartboard. Gathering this data will allow for the teacher to understand where the students are and where they are coming from. With an iPod Touch in the hands of each student they will research ways in which fractions are used in the real world. Relating the concept to the students will help them to learn and understand. In small groups, the smartboard is used as a giant manipulative. Using a kidspriation template, the students can manipulate various fractions and compare them so that they can recognize and explain what fractions are. This is the first step to understanding how math is displayed through fractions.
Dream Day 2: Students are put into groups. With the groups, they must evaluate fraction apps for the iPod Touch. Is this app effective? Does it make you want to learn? Does it explain anything or is it just a game? The students will share their results by typing what they found on a Google Doc, which is displayed on the smartboard. The students can also take it a step further and create their own app with their group that explains a certain concept.