TPACK has been knocking on the periphery of my consciousness for a while, but when I saw eight separate sessions devoted to it at next week’s International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference, I decided I had better get serious about it!

The acronym itself is much more interest-generating than the words it stands for. For me, “TPACK” generated visions of a new carryall to take hiking in the mountains or to lug beach paraphernalia across the sand. The reality was far less exciting; simply reading the words made my eyes glaze over! 

• Technological
• Pedagogical
• Content
• Knowledge

But as I began thinking more about it, I realized that I have been using the TPACK framework all of my professional life (I just didn’t have a name for it) and I realized why I am so impatient with those who:

• proselytize about interactive white boards or declare that the iPad is the savior of education (T)
• fight over project-based-learning vs. memorization of facts (P)
•  think standardized tests vs. essays are the only way to measure what children have learned (C).

ALL three areas need to blend for the best possible learning environment. (Punya Mishra and Matthew J. Koehler)

Personally, I think the acronym should be CPTAK – not so easy to say, I agree, but better in the framework for teaching. I would start with content knowledge.

• C: WHAT do the students need to know today to prepare them to function in the future? (Common Core Standards should play a significant role here.)
• P: Then I would consider HOW to offer the information so that it is meaningful, relevant and memorable to students of different ages and in diverse environments. (How do children learn in general; how does each unique child learn?)
• TK: And last, WHICH technology will assist in the learning? Maybe an IWB will help in studying geography; maybe an iPad will be an assistive tool for kinesthetic learners; maybe creating a PowerPoint presentation will develop an understanding of key concepts.

I am looking forward to the conference in Philadelphia next week. Watch for tweets from @CyndeePerkins about #ISTE11. (And I promise not to make your eyes glaze over!)

Diagram Source: http://tpack.org