Thursday, July 21, 2011

PART B - Application of TPACK

1. What is the TP knowledge for the solution?
Google Calendar is a natural fit for reserving computer labs in a high school setting.  On my end, I will create three different calendars (one for each computer lab) utilizing the new Appointment Slots feature.  Teachers will be able to view the calendars from anywhere with an Internet connection, and reserve whichever labs whenever they want.

2. What is the TC knowledge for the solution?
Google Calendar is inherently more accessible to every teacher because it would not be feasible for them to take the current reservation binders home with them.  There are approximately 50 teachers and only 1 copy of each binder.

An advantage of going to an online reservation system is that teachers can plan great lessons at home that utilize technology.  Rather than create a great webquest over the weekend, then wait until Monday to figure out when the computer labs are open, they can plan to use technology and reserve the lab all from the convenience of home outside of normal school hours.  Google Calendar automatically blocks a lab from ever being double-booked.

3. What is the PC knowledge for the solution?
Students will be able to interact with their content at a time that actually fits what they are learning, not the time slot their teacher was able to reserve because they didn't get to school early enough on Monday morning.  Let's say that a teacher wants to do four days of instruction, and a quiz on Friday.  Rather than writing three different technology-based assignments that could fit for Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, teachers will be able to look at the Calendar when they sit down to plan for the week (for example, on Saturday morning).  Teachers will be able to plan more efficiently, and students will benefit by having better, more thoughtful assignments.

**I realize that my responses to the three questions overlap a bit.  From what I have read, that seems to be ok, and is the nature of TPACK.  Am I right?

4 comments:

  1. Yes, I do think they overlap a bit. It just looks at each from a different perspective. It looks at how each one effects the others. Because your plan is not content based (in terms of curriculum standards) it is a bit more cut and dry. I think you are great on the TP and TC. The PC is reaching a bit. I agree that it helps the flow of class to have scheduled times, but how does the calendar for labs actually make the content better or enhanced? Again, because of the nature of the project, that would be the weak spoke in the TPACK wheel.

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  2. I think you do a nice job of showing how your idea fits the TPACK model. I do agree with Tammy that the PC part is a bit of a stretch, but if you expand on how it would enhance content, I think it will definitely work.

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  3. It sounds like your pretty close the the TPACK sweet spot. I can see your point when you talk about the PC being richer due to the timliness of the computer lab signup. If the labs are all signed out, the content of the days lesson may not be totally clear. With proper computer time, the teachers are able to have more pedagogical freedom. There has been times in my own classroom where I had to change the way I taught because I didn't have acceess to a lab. I think you tied it in nicely.

    Dave Crewes

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  4. I think you did a nice job hitting the TPACK. I understand as far as content goes that really students will benefit because teachers will have much more adequate planning time allowing for a more thoughtful lesson. I see your point here. Because it's such a hassle to reserve the lab now, teachers may just say "forget it" altogether which wouldn't technologically enhance content at all.

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