Abstract
This chapter reports on a case study of a high school teacher from a larger study of ‘exemplary' teachers and how they conceptualized their knowledge of technology integration in education contexts (Hunter, 2013). The research was a series of purposeful case studies of teachers in classrooms in Australia. The study found that theory, creativity, public learning, life preparation and contextual accommodations are crucial. Each conception of the teachers' knowledge is underpinned by particular pedagogical themes that together form a fresh vision for technology integration known as High Possibility Classrooms or HPC. Kitty, the teacher featured in this chapter, conceptualized her knowledge of technology integration based on flexibility, experiential learning and creativity, preparation of learning, and whole school culture. This case study builds on the TPACK framework (Mishra & Koehler, 2006) and provides an important theoretical and practical exemplar of technology integration in practice for teacher education in a digital age.
TopBackground
The study (Hunter, 2013) used the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework as its theoretical starting point and built on it to form the HPC model. TPACK articulates the relationship between content, pedagogy and technology both in isolation, and in pairs of content knowledge (CK), pedagogical knowledge (PK) and technology knowledge (TK). This connection evolved into pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), technological content knowledge (TCK) and technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK) and all three came together as technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK): “This was similar to the move made by Shulman in which he considered the relationship between content and pedagogy and labelled it pedagogical content knowledge ... we introduce two new pairs and one new triad” (Mishra & Koehler, 2006 p.1026). In all, seven TPACK components; the four teachers in the study (Hunter, 2013) demonstrated all of them in their daily classroom practices.
Key Terms in this Chapter
High Possibility Classrooms (HPC): Are learning spaces in schools where teachers focus their knowledge of technology integration on theory, creativity, public learning, life preparation and contextual accommodations; in practice such teachers underpin their teaching actions across the day, the week, or the year with clear attention to the 22 themes of teaching strategies and student learning processes in the HPC model.
Student Response Networks (SRN): Are ‘virtual clickers’ designed for use in school computer labs or in classrooms with wireless laptops. Teachers often use them to gauge answers to tests or check students understanding about content.
Multi-Stage Digital Media Projects: Are learning opportunities for students in middle and high classrooms to produce films on subject matter that interests them; entry to the projects are on the basis of applications or Expressions of Interest (EOI).
Digital Education Revolution (DER): Is an Australian government funded educational reform program valued at $2.4 billion, it was promised by Prime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd during the launch of his 2007 Australian election campaign; it focus was on one laptop for every Year 9-12 student in a school, increased high speed broadband to schools, support for increased proficiency for teachers and students to nourish the use of technology in teaching and learning, it included supportive projects and research.
Exemplary Teachers: Are in-service teachers who formed the ‘purposive’ group studied in research designed to understand teachers’ knowledge of technology integration ( Hunter, 2013 ); the teachers were highly proficient in using a range of technology, they used it daily in classroom learning, and they used it in an innovative and engaging manner, and had contributed substantively to professional development of their colleagues, also they had participated in trials of new technology and were highly regarded by their colleagues for their commitment to the profession.
Technology Enriched Instruction (TEI): Is a Microsoft in Education global initiative designed by faculty to help college and university teacher educators to improve use of technology in their teaching and instruction.
Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK): Is Mishra and Koehler’s (2006) seven component framework for effective technology integration for teaching specific content or subject matter that requires understanding and negotiating the relationships between, technology, pedagogy, and content.