Tpack - Wetzel Marshall

Copyright 201112, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 541.302.3777 (Intl), iste@iste.
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Volume 28 Number 2 | Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education | 73
Copyright 201112, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 541.302.3777 (Intl), [email protected], iste.org. All rights reserved.
Abstract
Tis is a qualitative study address-
ing the question: In what ways does
a sixth grade middle school teacher
show evidence of behaviors that ft
the Technological Pedagogical Con-
tent Knowledge (TPACK) framework
in the classroom? Te researcher ob-
served in this class, interviewed the
teacher, and looked for evidence of
the interplay between components of
the framework. Tis teachers class
was particularly appropriate for this
study because she was an experienced
teacher her school district selected to
pilot a classroom with many technol-
ogies, including one laptop for each
student. Applying the TPACK theo-
retical framework to her classroom
helps us better understand how the
framework is translated into practice.
Findings indicate that the teacher pro-
vided a foundation for the use of tech-
nology in content (language arts) and
pedagogy (project-based learning).
Te teacher demonstrated technologi-
cal pedagogical knowledge through
well-planned classroom management
practices as well as the interplay be-
tween components of the framework.
Recommendations include the use of
the TPACK framework as a lens for
classroom observation and the need
for additional cases to be used in pro-
fessional development. (Keywords:
TPACK, middle school, technology
integration, teacher education)
T
he Technological Pedagogical
Content Knowledge (TPACK)
framework represents a new way
of thinking about preparing teachers
to teach and learn with technology.
Although many educators helped to
develop ideas that led to the framework,
Mishra and Koehler (2006) formulated
it in a clear and persuasive manner. In
part, TPACK is a conceptual tool that
may assist teachers in planning lessons
that integrate technology. When applied,
the framework requires equal attention
to technology, pedagogy, and content as
they are used in service of learning ob-
jectives. Leaders in teacher preparation
for technology integration have helped
educators gain a better understanding
of the use of the TPACK framework in
diferent content areas (SIGTE leaders
and NTLS Program Committee, 2008).
Teacher educators argue that TPACK
can provide a framework for teacher
preparation that leads to efective K12
student learning in content areas.
In addition to its use preparing teach-
ers, the TPACK framework is becom-
ing an increasingly important tool for
researching technology integration in
preservice and inservice education. For
example, a tally of the presentations
in the TPACK strand of the teacher
education theme at the 2011 Society for
Information Technology and Teacher
Education (SITE) conference revealed
32 sessions with 71 presenters. Te
TPACK framework may help professional
developers and teachers make rich con-
nections among technology, the subject
matter, and pedagogical choices. How-
ever, a review of 20 articles published in
peer reviewed print journals from 2006
through 2009 with TPACK in the title or
key terms found that contextual infor-
mation about the studies was limited.
Tus, the articles provided a theoretical
understanding rather than illuminating
its efectiveness in real-life K12 class-
rooms (Kelly, 2010, p. 3887). Further, in
their introduction to the TPACK theme
issue of TechTrends, Polly and Bantley-
Dias (2009) called for studies in K12
classrooms that use the TPACK frame-
work based on classroom observations,
videotaping of teaching, and analysis of
classroom artifacts rather than self-re-
ported data. Tis study was conceived to
help us understand the use of the TPACK
framework during teachingthat is,
in the real life of a sixth grade teacher
and her students. It reports on the work
of one teacher, Ms. Marshall, and her
sixth grade students learning about the
Renaissance, told through the lens of the
TPACK framework.
Theoretical Framework
TPACK (Mishra and Koehler, 2006)
builds on Shulmans (1986, 1987)
Pedagogical Content Knowledge
(PCK) framework. Shulman explained
that pedagogical knowledge refers to
the broad principles and strategies of
classroom management and organiza-
tion and involves lesson planning and
implementation, teaching methods, and
assessment. Content knowledge is the
knowledge of the subject matter curricu-
lum including key concepts, facts, and
procedures. Pedagogical content knowl-
edge refers to how to teach particular
content to make it understandable.
Te intersecting domains of content
knowledge and pedagogical knowledge
provide the key to successfully teach-
ing in a disciplinary area. Recently, the
National Council for Accreditation of
Teacher Education (NCATE) afrmed
the coupling of content and pedagogy,
theory, and practice as a core principal
of the redesign of teacher preparation
(NCATE, 2010). To this framework,
Mishra and Koehler (2006) added the
domain of knowledge of technology,
which includes the working knowledge
and skills needed to use technologies.
Te key to successful teaching is not
TPACK Goes to Sixth Grade: Lessons from a Middle School Teacher
in a High-Technology-Access Classroom
Keith Wetzel
Arizona State University
Summer Marshall
Ecker Hill International Middle School
74 | Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education | Volume 28 Number 2
Wetzel & Marshall
simply achieving competence in the
individual areas, but teaching at the in-
tersection of each part of the framework
(see TPACK Venn diagram in Figure 1).
Based on her communications with
Mishra, Cox (2008) explains that Mishra
uses the phrase dynamic, transactional
negotiation to capture the interactive
nature of components of the framework
(p. 77). Her expansive defnition of
TPACK then is a knowledge of the dy-
namic, transactional negotiation among
technology, pedagogy, and content and
how that negotiation impacts student
learning in a classroom context (p. 78).
Priorities in TPACK Planning
Although TPACK begins with the T
(technology), the framework does not
refect an intent that technology be the
driver of instructional decisions; in
fact, it is quite the contrary. Harris et al.
(2010) reviewed the literature on teacher
planning and the use of digital technolo-
gy and concluded that efective planning
was primarily organized by learning
activities and content goals. Consistent
with the framework that emphasized the
interaction of content, pedagogy, and
technology knowledge, they recom-
mended beginning with learning goals
and activities in a content area and then
selecting and using digital tools and oth-
er resources to help teacher and students
meet the learning goals. It is important
to avoid the errors of the past, when the
emphasis was too ofen on the technol-
ogy frst. Tus, teacher inservices too
ofen emphasized the use of technology
in isolation from content area learning
outcomes. Mishra, Koehler, and Kereluik
(2009) made a similar point when they
said that one reason new technologies
have failed to transform education is
because most innovations have focused
inordinately on the technology rather
than more fundamental issues of how to
approach teaching subject matter with
these technologies (p. 49). Tis point
is visually clear in Figure 1, as Mishra
and Koehler have placed technology as
one of the components and not in the
center of the circle. Tey also have tried
to show the complexity of the teaching
process by suggesting that the goal is
an empowered teacher who has a deep
knowledge of the content and who can
envision the approach that will help her
students best learn this material, and
fnally use the technologies that can
help students achieve the outcomes of
the lesson.
As evident in Figure 1, the TPACK
framework proposes seven distinct or
overlapping categories of teacher knowl-
edge. TPACK is a complex framework,
and for the purposes of this study, only
three categories will be considered:
pedagogical content knowledge (PCK),
pedagogical technology knowledge
(PTK), and the intersection of all
areas or TPACK.
As noted above, PCK is the intersec-
tion of pedagogical and content knowl-
edge as described by Shulman. Techno-
logical pedagogical knowledge (TPK),
added to the framework by Mishra and
Kohler, represents the interweaving of
technology with general pedagogical
strategies. Graham et al. (2009) dis-
tinguishes between technology with
pedagogical strategies and content.
With pedagogical strategies, technology
such as word processing can be used in
many content areas; to put it another
way, some technologies are not content
specifc. In contrast, technological con-
tent knowledge represents knowledge
of technology uses that are specifc to a
discipline. For example, science teach-
ers may select probeware to collect data
from an experiment. However, Cox
(2008) acknowledges the difculty of
trying to limit technology to one unique
category and suggested the fexible na-
ture of the TPACK categories.
Teachers also demonstrate techno-
logical pedagogical knowledge when
they are able to interweave technology
into a pedagogical knowledge, such
as the adoption of efective classroom
Figure 1. Interweaving technology, content, and pedagogy through the TPACK framework.
TPACK in Middle School
management strategies specifc to tech-
nology usefor example, the institution
of efective routines for the distribution
of hardware, use of time, expectations
for collaboration, and other details of
classroom activities. Such practices may
be so well developed in experienced
teachers classrooms that a casual ob-
server may fail to note the skill required
to achieve efciency until observing a
teacher whose technological pedagogical
knowledge is less well developed.
Technological pedagogical knowl-
edge appears to be less visible in the
TPACK literature and may also be
neglected by teacher educators. Tra-
ditionally, pedagogy instruction for
aspiring teachers includes lesson plan-
ning, assessment, teaching methods, and
classroom management but may not
identify or explicitly teach classroom
management issues introduced by the
adoption of a new technology. Although
it is well known that beginning teach-
ers expressed concerns about classroom
management issues, Bolick and Cooper
(2006) found that even teachers with
skillful classroom management strate-
gies needed to address issues brought
about by the introduction of new
technologies in the classroom, such as
establishing and maintaining classroom
rules and routines, and providing guide-
lines for interactions among students
and the teacher. Academically engaged
time, key to learning, is enhanced when
transitions between classes or activities
are efcient. If experienced teachers
have not yet mastered this technological
pedagogical knowledge, they may have
difculty assisting their student teachers,
increasing the need to address this por-
tion of the TPACK framework in teacher
training classrooms.
Lim, Pek, and Chai (2005) provided
some guidance on the principles that
teacher educators can address with
three themes of importance: (a) plan-
ning and implementing supporting
activities (such as having the teacher
initially model the processes for using
the technology and developing products
together with students); (b) establish-
ing rules and procedures to facilitate
smooth-running classroom activities
before instruction starts (such as telling
the students entering the classroom that
they would be working with a partner
and where to sit to use the computer),
during instruction (directing students to
ask a peer for assistance with technology
issues), and afer instructional activi-
ties (giving a 5-minute warning before
directing that computers be shut down);
and (c) providing teacher support
through student helpers and technical
aids, including training students to help
other students who are experiencing
difculties and access to technical as-
sistance for the teacher.
Te recent emphasis on high-stakes
testing and accountability has height-
ened teacher concern about the efcient
use of classroom time and may be a bar-
rier to the implementation of technol-
ogy. Tus, technological pedagogical
knowledge and particularly classroom
management are of special importance
to teachers attempting to address all of
the elements of the TPACK framework
in an actual classroom setting.
Purpose and Overview
Despite its potential as a useful organi-
zational device for teachers, the TPACK
framework has yet to be commonly
applied in language that describes K12
classrooms. Do teachers show evidence
of behaviors that ft the framework, and
if so, what are they? Tis article aims to
facilitate the transition from theory to
application through a case study of Ms.
Marshalls practices as they illustrate the
use of the framework. As I observed in
this class and interviewed Ms. Marshall,
I looked for evidence of the interplay
among components of the framework.
Ms. Marshalls class was particularly
appropriate for this study because she
was an experienced teacher her school
district selected to pilot a classroom
with one computer for each student,
along with many other technologies.
(Although both authors contributed to
this study, for the purposes of clarity, I
refers to the frst author.)
My visit coincided with the culmina-
tion of a 6-week crosscurricular project
on the Renaissance in this sixth grade
classroom. Ms. Marshall explained the
various student language arts activities
in the project, including a newsletter,
interview, and poem. I observed Ms.
Marshalls classes when she taught stu-
dents to write poetry about key innova-
tions and fgures of the Renaissance. Te
reading teacher, Ms. Wadman, started
the Renaissance project 5 years ago with
an emphasis on a study of Shakespeares
life and writing. Students studied lines
from a play and wrote insults/riddles to
refect the atmosphere of Shakespearean
theater. Te fnal experience was a fair
held afer school for parents. Students
lined the halls as parents and friends
roamed around to interact with indi-
vidual students who performed their
lines in costume and asked viewers to
play a Renaissance game. Over time,
other subject-area teachers began to
participate in the project. For example,
in science, students learned about sound
as part of their core curriculum and
created Renaissance instruments. In
social studies, they wrote a biography of
period explorers and inventors. In art
class, they researched a piece of art and
discovered why it was commissioned,
and they created a piece of period art.
In math, they created a Renaissance
business. In language arts, the students
wrote a newspaper article on one of the
above ideas, developed questions for an
interview with a Renaissance fgure, and
fnally wrote a poem.
Method
Te key informant and second author,
Ms. Marshall, is an experienced sixth
grade teacher who teaches six sections of
language arts to 140 students in a high-
access pilot program with two laptop
carts, each with 15 laptops, 20 Flip cam-
eras, and headsets for each computer.
Te frst author, a professor of educa-
tional technology at a university in the
southwestern United States, is the ob-
server at a middle school in a small town
in the Mountain States (for convenience,
this author shall be henceforth referred
to as I). For a week in May, I observed
and audiotaped 10 interviews with Ms.
Marshall before and afer classes and
during lunch and preparation periods.
Interviews ranged from 5 minutes
between classes to an hour afer school.
I video recorded several classroom
periods. As part of her role as informant,
Ms. Marshall clarifed the reasons for
her actions and decisions in the class-
room, participated in conversations with
me about my observations, and respond-
ed to my initial interpretations of the
integration of technology in the content
and pedagogy of the classroom. She did
not plan lessons to explicitly emphasize
TPACK components or integration, but
planned and taught in her normal man-
ner. I composed my interview questions
to reveal the dimensions of TPACK, but
the stated purpose of the study was to
observe an experienced teacher at work
in a technology-rich environment, so
that the study would be less contrived
and more natural.
To provide background for the
infusion of technology at this site, I
interviewed two of the technology
instructional coaches who worked at
the middle school. Finally, I examined
samples of student work and attended
the fair. I had all interviews and obser-
vations transcribed and then analyzed
them using the constant comparative
method (Strauss, 1987). Te researcher
conducted teacher interviews with a set
of questions for each setting. Examples
of questions were:
What language arts activities were
included in the Renaissance project?
How did you integrate technology in
each of them?
Did you align each lesson with stan-
dards?
What role did standards play in your
curriculum?
Te researcher added questions to
the protocols or modifed them as initial
observations and interviews led to sub-
sequent interviews.
Te researcher triangulated teacher
interview data with classroom observa-
tion data and instructional coach data
to confrm the trustworthiness of the
fndings (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). Te
researcher read and re-read the tran-
scripts. Guided by the purpose of the
study and the TPACK components, the
researcher coded the data. As I received
transcriptions of each interview or
observation, I read it, wrote notes in the
margins, and color-coded by concept. I
added and modifed codes as additional
transcripts became available. Eventu-
ally, the researcher combined subcodes
into themes. Te researcher also noted
the frequency of occurrence of para-
graphs or thought units illuminating
themes. Finally, the researcher employed
member checking by sending a draf
of the manuscript to the teacher (Ms.
Marshall) to check the accuracy of the
data and for feedback on the data analy-
sis. She read and commented on drafs
of this manuscript, clarifying several
points, but she thought the fndings ac-
curately represented the situation.
Findings
To answer the research question (In
what ways does a sixth grade middle
school teacher show evidence of behav-
iors that ft the TPACK framework in
the classroom?), the researcher orga-
nized fndings around these interwoven
components of TPACK: pedagogical
content knowledge, technological peda-
gogical knowledge, and the interplay of
all TPACK elements.
I coded data around knowledge of
content (i.e., knowledge of subject
matter, including key concepts, facts,
and procedures) and pedagogy, which
included subcodes: teaching methods,
classroom management, lesson planning
and implementation, and assessment.
Although the researcher coded content
and pedagogy separately, he considered
the codes together because he ofen
found them to be interrelated in this
classroom. For example, Ms. Marshall
addressed them together when she listed
these objectives (on a whiteboard for
students) for a series of lessons:
Content objective: I can write four
articles reporting what I have learned,
including who, what, where, when,
why, and how.
Language objective: I can explain
the writing process (used to write
the newsletter) to a peer in my own
words.
Te codes are not necessarily exclu-
sive. Te researcher coded the language
objective above as both a pedagogical and
a content element. One could consider
the writing process (prewriting, draf-
ing, revising, editing, and sharing) to be
unique to language arts, or alternatively,
that this process of writing and thinking
is applicable to social studies, science, or
any content area and thus more closely
related to a general pedagogical learning
strategy. Cox (2008) attributes this cat-
egorization problem to the sliding nature
of the TPACK framework.
Te interplay between content and
pedagogy was evidenced in the stu-
dent work on their news articles. Ms.
Marshall addressed the content objective
as she taught newspaper article writing.
However, she also taught the writing
process using the writers workshop
model. Here, she orally quizzed them
about the sequence of activities they
would do for prewriting, drafing, and
revising steps they would follow for
news article writing. Students also ad-
dressed language arts content objectives
by creating interviews. Students became
journalists. Tey researched a character
they selected in another class, such as
social studies; developed the questions
and the answers for the interviews;
and found another student to assume
the characters role and rehearsed their
answers.
Finally, Ms. Marshall had students
review the key ideas they learned
collectively about the Renaissance
from their articles and interviews to
help them write a poem. Ms. Marshall
called this a treasure hunt for words.
She explained, You will create a poem
from sources where poetry doesnt
seem to be there. She elaborated,
You will create a found poem by
selecting and rearranging words from
the Renaissance newspaper headlines
or article titles. You will be finding
interesting scraps of language inter-
esting words that you can eventually
turn into a poem.
Tese three language arts activities
helped students focus on the essential
content question for this project on
the Renaissance: How did the rebirth
Wetzel & Marshall
of ideas allow for new inventions that
would ultimately impact our society
today?
Technological Pedagogical Knowledge
Two subcodes supported the theme of
pedagogical technological knowledge:
(a) Ms. Marshalls approach to teaching
students to use computer applications,
and (b) her classroom management
related to students technology use.
First, Ms. Marshall used a peda-
gogical approach that was less teacher
directed and that involved more student
problem solving. When students used a
computer program for the frst time, she
allowed them to fgure it out afer mini-
mal direct instruction. Tis dialog from
the middle school classroom 10 minutes
before class starts illustrates the point:
Ms. Marshall: Ive been thinking
about whether we should have the
students create a paper collage of
found words for their Renaissance
poems, or should we have them
use Garage Band? But Ive never
used Garage Band before. Can you
help?
Observer: Ive used Audacity for
podcasts, and it seems like Garage
Band would be similar. Lets look
at Garage Band together on the
screen. [Pointing to the menus]
Oh, they could choose the podcast
option. Add a track for male or fe-
male voices. Add or create music.
Im not sure that I could help a lot,
but it would probably work.
Ms. Marshall: Tats the way that
I introduce all new technologies.
I just try it and have faith that it
will work. I know a little about it,
but I dont have all of the answers.
Some students will fgure it out
frst. Ill ask them to help the oth-
ers who need help. When I cant
answer the questions, I just send
the students around to help each
other. Lets try it. Today, Ill make
it an option. Tose who want to
try it can. Tose who want to cre-
ate the paper collage version can
do that too.
Ms. Marshall expressed this peda-
gogical approach to introducing a new
technology as Lets try it students
will fgure it out. She tried it by giving
students a choiceallowing students
who wanted to try it to do so. About half
tried it; those fguring it out frst showed
other students how to use Garage Band
and answered questions as they arose.
In addition to ofering students a choice,
she encouraged a collaborative approach,
with students helping each other.
Te second example of pedagogi-
cal technology knowledge focused on
specialized technology management skills.
Findings revolve around two subcodes:
classroom management techniques for
student use of technology and the arrange-
ment of technology in the classroom.
A few minutes afer students entered
the classroom, students had the laptops
on their desks, opened, and booting. Te
teacher did not provide any oral direc-
tions on how to get the laptop from the
cart. Here are seven strategies that Ms.
Marshall used, based on my classroom
observations and interviews:
1. Students were ready at start of class.
Many teachers write an assignment
on the board that students begin as
they enter the classroom. Building on
this strategy, when students entered
Ms. Marshalls classroom, they looked
at the white board to see if they were
using computers and which programs
were to be booted. For example, Ms.
Marshall wrote these steps on the
board when students were to use
Keynote to write their newspapers:
Get your computer.
Open your Renaissance Newspa-
per.
Add any transitions youd like so
it is ready to share.
Limit yourself to two transitions
or less per page.
2. Ms. Marshall focused student at-
tention. She found that laptops had
an advantage over her earlier use of
desktops. She noted that with desktop
computers, you must work to gain
student attention and keep it when
you are leading class. Ms. Marshall
explained, I love the laptop [when it
doesnt distract students]. You can tell
students to close the lid and put them
away. Later I observed Ms. Marshalls
directions to students during class:
Lids down please. 5 4 ... 3 2-1/2
2 1-1/2 1! Oh, man [you just
made it]!
3. She created aisle space for students to
access the laptop carts. Ms. Marshall
discussed issues with lost time due to
students crowding the aisle to reach
the side-by-side computer carts. She
repositioned the carts so students had
two diferent paths to the carts, reduc-
ing the retrieval and put-away time.
4. Students retrieved the same computer
each period. Students had their own
folders on shared computers, so each
one needed to use the same com-
puter each period. Every computer
was numbered with a corresponding
number on a slot in the cart. Students
from each section were assigned a
number that was posted on the board
so that if they forgot which computer
they were using, they could look at
the chart and retrieve the same laptop
each day.
5. She taught care of laptops. Tere
were no instances of students break-
ing or misusing a laptop. When she
noticed a student who was not car-
rying the laptop carefully, she said,
Remember, hold it like a baby. You
love it, and she demonstrated this
by crossing both of her arms across
her chest.
6. She minimized competing noise level
in the classroom. When students
anticipated they would use technol-
ogy (such as Brain Pop, which has
animated videos) that included audio,
they would automatically pick up a
headset. Ms. Marshall explains, Te
students, they just knowtoo much
noise drives everyone nuts. Tey sense
it at the door. If they have to have
noise, they just go and get the head-
phones and plug them in and move
on. Its very seldom that I have to tell
students to go get their headphones.
Audio played an important role
in the classroom. Te teacher wrote
a grant to get the headsets so she
could limit the noise and help stu-
dents who had difculty reading. For
example, she selected a program that
read the words to students so they
could focus on understanding the
text. She explains, Tis is a writing
class, and my focus isnt reading,
but when youre doing research and
youre on some of these websites
where they have the more difcult
words and explanations, hearing
it, they would understand it, while
reading they wont, so I had a few
of them taking notes from a website
while theyre plugged in. Some are
not following, some are just audi-
tory learnersthe visual gets them
distracted.
When giving instructions, Ms.
Marshall asked students to just wear
them around their necks until they
were ready to use them. Headsets
were located in a box near the door.
Although many students used their
own headsets, others who forgot
them used the provided headsets.
Careful planning limited student
noise distractions and focused the
learning of students with reading
or focusing disabilities. Easy access
and rules for use enhanced instruc-
tional time.
7. Playing music in background
provided a classroom setting that
allowed students to settle down
quickly. When students were
working individually in class, Ms.
Marshall used the online program
Pandora with selections from Jack
Johnson and other similar artists
in the background. I noticed that
students settled down quickly when
the music started and focused more
thoroughly on the academic tasks,
such as writing. When students were
rotating from desk to desk writing
down words for their poems, the
music in the background appeared
to be calming.
Technological Pedagogical
Content Knowledge
Te interweaving of pedagogy, content,
and technology were noted as students
worked on three activities: news articles,
interview, and poem. Students used
technology as they researched, created
and shared their news articles. Students
conducted research to answer the six
questions (who, what, where, when, why,
and how) using a modifed WebQuest
(a webpage with directions and a list
of links to resource web sites). Stu-
dents also used a commercial program,
Brain Pop, to fnd information for
their reports. Based on their research,
students wrote four news articles using
the presentation program, Keynote, to
write, illustrate and present their articles
to the class.
Students created interviews using
technology tools. Tey video recorded
their partners in costume. Ms. Marshall
taught them to do interviews by watch-
ing and critiquing the interviews of news
anchors on TV. Ms. Marshall explained,
Tey spoke with their partners and
they practiced their interviews many
times before they put on their costumes.
Tey used Flip video cameras to do the
recording, and they edited the videos
in iMovie. Te frst time they recorded
the interview, the sound did not come
out clearly. Tey had to pay attention
to background noise and the voice level
of the character. At the Renaissance
Fair students from diferent classes
presented their class projects. One part
of their language arts presentation was
the interview. In the performance area,
the school hallway, students set up their
laptops on chairs and provided a headset
so visitors could hear their interviews.
Technology also played a role as
students wrote their poems. Students
had a choice in creating the draf of a
poem. Tey could write and rearrange
by cutting out each word box and gluing
them in order, or they could use a word
processor and rearrange them electroni-
cally. About half followed each path.
Tey also had the choice of how they
would publish their poems. Tey could
create a collage of words on paper, or
they could publish their poems by orally
recording their voices in Garage Band,
adding music they composed to accom-
pany the oral and written presentations
of the words. Once again about half of
the students selected each path.
During multiple observations, the
researcher often observed the fol-
lowing order of presentation in Ms.
Marshalls classroom. She began by
bringing the students attention to the
activity for that period, e.g., Were
going to go on a treasure hunt for
cool words. Following a thorough
discussion of the activity, she brought
students attention to the language
objective written on the board, dis-
cussed each step of the writing process
as it applied to this activity and asked
students to explain the process, e.g.,
there are five steps to the writing
process you tell [them to] your
partner. Next, she discussed the use
of the technology to implement part of
the process. For example, she gave the
students a choice of writing on paper
and gluing words in collage form or
publishing their poems by creating
a podcasts of them and composing
music to accompany their reading of
the poems.
Discussion and Recommendations
According to Mishra and Koehler
(2006), one purpose of a good theoreti-
cal framework is to guide observations
and the interpretation of the fndings.
Although, this is an exploratory study,
the fndings appear to provide some
evidence that elements of the TPACK
framework were observed in Ms.
Marshalls classroom. Te discussion is
organized around the interweaving of
key components.
Te discussion begins with content
and pedagogy because they provide the
foundational context for any examina-
tion of the implementation of the TPACK
framework (Mishra and Koehler, 2006).
Te Renaissance project set the stage
for the integration of technology in the
lessons. Te pedagogy was project-based
learning guided by essential questions,
using a writers workshop approach to
teach language arts skills of prewrit-
ing, writing, revising, and editing. Te
content was crosscurricular, but for this
study, the focus was the writing strand of
language arts.
Wetzel & Marshall
Technological Pedagogical Knowledge
Te fndings provide evidence that Ms.
Marshall developed special expertise
in the management of students and the
technologies. She used technological
pedagogical knowledge to direct student
use of technology in ways that allowed
the class to run smoothly without losing
time to technology related distractions.
Te focus remained on learning the
content area outcomes.
Teachers must interweave technol-
ogy with content in ways that help
students meet state objectives and per-
form well on standardized tests. Under
these circumstance teachers may be
reluctant to use an approach involv-
ing technology for several reasons.
First they may fear they will lose time
on task. Thus, the technology may
not fit the pedagogical needs of the
teacher. Ms. Marshall maximized time
on task by establishing routines such
as clearing aisles to the computers,
posting technology use directions on
the white board so students and lap-
tops were ready when the bell range,
and employing charts with names
and computer numbers to remove
questions and squabbles over which
computer to use. Even small steps like
students remembering to plug laptops
in when they put them away helps to
keep them charged and in use (see
Table 1 for Summary of Management
Techniques). In this classroom, the
routines were clear and appropriate,
and technologies appeared to be a
smooth operation in the classroom
with maximization of time on task.
Ms. Marshalls clearly articulated
classroom management strategies for
students uses of technology are con-
sistent with efective environments for
learning, e.g., establishing rules and
routines for smooth running classrooms
(Bolick & Cooper (2006), Lim, Pek, &
Chai (2005). Tese classroom manage-
ment strategies may serve as illustrative
examples for beginning and experienced
teachers who are developing pedagogical
technology knowledge.
Based on the importance that teach-
ers place on classroom management
and technology, my sense is that we
need many more case studies of teach-
ers at work at various grade levels and
of teachers with varying degrees of
classroom experience. Such cases would
enrich our working knowledge of TPK
and particularly classroom management.
Another interweaving of peda-
gogy and technology was evident in Ms.
Marshalls approach to teaching a new
computer application: Lets try it
students will fgure it out. Rather than a
sage on the stage or a direct instruction
approach, she employed an inquiry-based
stance. Her approach was consistent with
other research; for example, Burns (2002)
found that teachers who were not experts,
but were comfortable with technology
did better at integrating technology in
the classroom than teachers with more
technology expertise. Further, if they in-
troduced the technology to students, but
did not teach the program step by step
to students, but rather let students fgure
it out and struggle with it, students were
more successful. Ms. Marshall expressed
this pedagogical approach to introducing
a new technology Lets try it students
will fgure it out. She tried it by giving
students a choice; allowing students who
wanted to try it, do so. About half tried
it; those fguring it out frst showed other
students how to use Garage Band and
answered questions as they arose. Mr.
Tompson, a school district instructional
coach, called this approach to technology
infusion jumping into the deep end of
the pool. Tis approach is a good exam-
ple of the use of technological pedagogi-
cal knowledge. It may seem reasonable
to assume that the teacher needs a high
level of technical knowledge and employ
a step-by-step approach to teach students,
however, Ms. Marshall did not employ
that strategy and it appears that a student-
centered problem solving approach and
just jumping in worked better.
Technological Pedagogical
Content Knowledge
At the center of TPACK is the inter-
section of technology, pedagogy, and
content knowledge. Tis knowledge
is employed in the service of learn-
ing objectives, ofen embodied in state
standards. Ms. Marshall was able to
use project-based learning in ways that
helped students meet the state middle
school language arts standards. Te re-
searcher asked whether the role of state
standards hindered her use of project-
based instruction with the integration
of technology. She replied, Technology
is one more thing I have access to. I
can meet much of my core if Im being
creative in the way that Im teaching. [In
Table 1. Summary of Management Techniques
Management Technique Teachers Action
Teacher gains student attention/eye contact. Teacher says, Close lid of laptop.
Students have easy access to laptop cart. Teacher separates carts for easy student access.
Students locate correct laptops easily. Teacher places chart on board with students names and laptop numbers.
Students are ready when class starts. Teacher writes directions on board regarding whether laptops will be used and the program/project to open.
Students carry laptops carefully. Teachers reminds students to hold it like a baby with arms across chest if they have a tenuous hold on the laptop.
Students minimize noise from audio and video media. Teacher arranges box of headsets with clear aisle access.
Teacher writes directions for use on board, including the activities that need headsets.
Teacher establishes rule to not disturb ones neighbors by playing audio or video media without headset.
Students settle down quickly and work. Teacher uses Pandora to play music in background.
Laptops remain charged. Each laptop has a numbered slot in the cart with a receptacle for plugging in laptops.
Before leaving classroom, each student returns laptop to cart and plug it in.
this school district] you are lef to teach
the core in the way you feel is best for
your students. Ive been in schools
where weve been expected to be on this
page in this book when the principal
came by. Tere is an art to teaching
and computers ft into that art.
Figure 2 provides a specifc example
of the application of the TPACK frame-
work to the language arts portion of the
Renaissance Project and of the contribu-
tions of each component to the learning
outcomes. Te student-created products
for the Renaissance Project represents
the learning outcomes in the center of
the diagram. Also, each component is
instantiated in the diagram; for example,
video editing and other technologies
represent technology, language arts
standards guide content, and the writers
workshop approach guides pedagogy.
However, it is also clear that they are
not separate elements in isolation, but
are rather coordinated in a dynamic
two-way (or multiway) interplay. In
this dynamic negotiation, the standards
are implemented through the writers
workshop, and the technologies (e.g.,
composing music with Garage Band,
revising text with Keynote and edit-
ing, and sharing through Keynote and
iMovie) facilitate the processes of the
writers workshop.
Although, technologies played an
important role in the Renaissance
Project, the TPACK framework suggests
the critical nature of the interweaving of
the components rather than an empha-
sis solely on individual components.
In this study, the interplay between the
language arts content and the technolo-
gies is evident. For example, students
learned Keynote skills in the context of
writing a newspaper article title with
an action verb and keywords, select-
ing images to convey the concept in an
efective manner to go with text, and
using references and giving credit to
sources. Also, students learned video
camera skills in the context of interview-
ing based on an analysis of newscaster
interviews on TV. Content skills, such as
interviewing, included learning the roles
of the questioner and the expert or the
responder, and practicing the questions
and the answers. Te video editing skills
that students learned when choosing key
information and reducing the interview
from 10 to 2 minutes were technologi-
cal content skills. Tese examples show
her interweaving of content, pedagogy,
and technology. Tis interplay appears
to be consistent with Mishras dynamic
transactional negotiation (in Cox, 2008).
In this project, technology, pedagogy,
and content are not separate elements
in isolation, but are coordinated in a
dynamic two-way (or multiway) inter-
play. Although the interplay among the
components was clear, the researcher
also observed that Ms. Marshalls class-
room presentation sequence followed
the priorities suggested by Harris et al.
(2010), in that she started with the learn-
ing objectives, addressed the process
and activities, and then addressed the
technology used to implement appropri-
ate parts of the activity.
Finally, and most important, the
teacher employed the technology to en-
hance student learning of the subject. Ms.
Marshalls lessons were aligned to content
standards, and she used technology as a
tool to enhance the learning both of the
content and also the technology skills the
students needed to be efective learners.
Te teacher education community would
beneft from more studies on optimal
approaches to teaching students technol-
ogy skills within academic content and
learning environments.
Tis was a qualitative study of one
teacher and her classroom. In that
sense, the fndings are not generaliz-
able, but others who fnd the manage-
ment techniques persuasive and the
uses of technology to meet content
standards helpful may draw on them as
resources for inservice and preservice
trainings. Also, the study may serve as
an instance in which the TPACK frame-
work provided a lens for observing in a
classroom and analyzing the fndings.
As Painter (2011) pointed out, if we
think of the teaching process as a beam
of light that plays out in the classroom,
the prism that allow us to see the colors
Figure 2. Products: Interweaving technology, pedagogy, and content.
Wetzel & Marshall
Newspaper
Interview
Poem
Technological Knowledge (TK):
Video Cameras, Keynote,
iMovie, Garage Band
Pedagogical Knowledge (PD):
Writers Workshop Approach
Content Knowledge (CK):
Language Arts Standards
in the beam is TPACK, as it allows us
to see the components of the lesson and
how they ft together.
Mishra and Koehler (2006) believed
that simultaneously addressing content
knowledge, pedagogical knowledge,
and technology knowledge provided
a framework for substantive technol-
ogy integration in the curriculum. Te
challenge for future research is to study
and report the behaviors of teachers
who show evidence that fts the TPACK
framework in elementary classrooms,
and then to study the utility of such
cases as resources for teacher preservice
and inservice programs.
Editors Note
An earlier draf of this article was presented at the
2011 Soc8iety for Information Technology and
Teacher Education (SITE) conference and published
in: Wetzel, K. (2011). Using the TPACK framework
to study a sixth grade classroom with high access to
technology. In Maddux, C. D., Gibson, D. & Dodge,
B. (eds.), Research highlights in technology and
teacher education 2011. Chesapeake, VA: SITE.
Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/35314
Acknowledgments
Te author would like to recognize the contributions
of Dr. Suzanne Painter and Ms. Martha Wetzel,
who critiqued the manuscript and asked thoughtful
questions that led to revisions.
Author Notes
Keith Wetzel is professor of educational technology
at Arizona State University.His research interests
include professional development, electronic
portfolios, the viability of the required educational
technology course in initial certifcation programs,
and the STEAM (science, technology, engineering,
arts, and math) curriculum in early-childhood
programs. Please address correspondence regarding
this article to Keith Wetzel, Professor of Educa-
tion Technology, Arizona State University, 4701
W. Tunderbird Rd., Glendale, AZ 85306. E-mail:
[email protected]
Summer Marshall is a sixth grade language arts
teacher at Ecker Hill Middle School. She has also
taught sections of content link for English language
learners, study skills, and reading. She currently
serves on the School Community Council and the
Advisory Committee. Please address correspond-
ence regarding this article to Summer Marshall,
2465 Kilby Road, Park City, UT 84098. E-mail:
[email protected]
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