TPACK Model

Introduction

It may be useful to begin with a basic question, “What is teaching?”. Teaching requires imparting content knowledge, that is information and knowledge on the subjects we teach. Mastery of such knowledge makes one an expert, but this does not equate to being an excellent teacher. A good teacher needs pedagogical knowledge, that is the art of teaching effectively considering learner’s motivation and needs, instructional strategies and assessment practices. In addition, the teachers need tools and technological knowledge to facilitate teaching and learning. These tools can be as simple as a pen, a book, a ruler, and a calculator or modern tools such as iPad and other software. TPACK is an approach that looks at the combination of what teachers know (Knowledge), how they teach (Pedagogy) and the role of educational gadgets (Technology) to enhance and transform student learning.

We can represent content knowledge, pedagogy, and technology using three overlapping circles. The middle area is known as TPACK, technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge. The overlapping area between content and pedagogy covers the core business of teaching and it is what to teach in the best way to teach it. However, it’s the third realm of technology, with its overlapping areas, that needs most attention as we increasingly embed modern forms of technology in our teaching.

The infographic (retrieved from http://instructionaltechnology2012.blogspot.com/2012/09/tpa.html) summarizes the main ideas of the TPACK model.