TPACK and Integration of ICT

After some initial confusion as to what TPACK was (more teacher language!), found this little diagram which made it a little easier to understand.

http://www.tpack.org/tpck/index.php?title=Image:Tpack-contexts-small.jpg

After all my reading for assignment three, I have been pleased to see that, after finding pedagogy was an important issue in the integration (or even use) of ICT in an earlier paper, things have not changed. It seems to be a real issue - how do we get teachers to more fully and effectively integrate ICT into classroom practise?

I think Cuban (1986) describes the problems well (as Tony referred to in Study Guide 7b) "technologies went through a cycle: exhilaration, scientific credibility, disappointment and blame". How often do we have a wonderful new ICT innovation introduced by and enthusiastic member of staff, we fall all over ourselves to use it, works great for some but not so well for others, we don't have the time to really learn to effectively use it and then we blame either the technology (or worse the person who introduced it) for our extra workload, confusion or lack of results!

Too often we adopt all kinds of new ICT tools/software, etc - it fits our curriculum needs, meets the content requirements of the student, we know enough about the content to teach it but our own values and beliefs (pedagogy) on how we teach prevents us from doing so effectively. There are so many issues around using ICT - how do you manage the equipment AND the children, how do you ensure everyone has equal time (to learn and with the teacher), does the ICT you are using really fit the learning outcomes or is it "close enough" or "that'll do"?

What seems to be the key is "integration" and its definition - perhaps it needs to be defined so that educators, educational institutes and other interested parties are all on the same wavelength?!

Term 2 and Assignment 2

Wow, the term is rushing by, week 4 already and the next assignment is looming. Deadlines are tight - Assignment 2, long term planning and mid-year reports all due on the same day : Now there's a challenge!!

Have had an idea for Assignment 2 and have decided to move away from my first assignment. Our school has a website run by Spike@School which has "learning caves". These are a great online learning environment for the children which they can access from home but not utilised at all by staff. My aim is to report whether they are beneficial, reviewing the current situation and looking into why they are not used and whether there is a case for professional development, etc.

Feeling relieved that I have an idea for content - can now start READING!!