Collaboration Part 2

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TPCK in in-service education: Assisting experienced teachers' "planned improvisations"

The author suggests that “TPCK focused professional development for experienced teachers should be qualitatively different from similar professional learning opportunities for most novices,” (p. 256) because they are likely to learn more quickly due to their experience. Using “flexible design scaffolds” (p. 256) to accommodate the limited time experienced teachers have to devote to this process of learning, unlearning, and adapting is suggested.

From what I observe at our school, it is clear that there is still much more progress to be made nearly four years after this book was published in order for teachers to use technology as “transformative devices” (p. 253) rather than as “efficiency aids and extension devices” (p. 253). 

One of the major points made at the end of this chapter is that the “primary goal of such professional development and reflection could be to develop and act upon TPCK in and to whichever forms and extents experienced teacher practitioners choose” (p. 268). This shows once again how technology has qualities of being effective and accommodating regardless of the approach, philosophy or activity types teachers use and are familiar with.  This is demonstrated well in this course where each teacher comes from a different background teaching different subjects and levels, yet we all are learning at the same time to use technology in the subjects and grades we teach.  For me it is also reassuring that regardless of whether I’m working with a verbal or non-verbal child, a child with severe cognitive disabilities or a child with Asperger’s syndrome, I can start in an area and level with technology that best suits the characteristics of individual students.

The information about telecollaborative and telecooperative activity structures and activity types are good resources for me to consider.  In fact reviewing these has inspired me to want to investigate how one particular student I know might begin communicating and learning telecollaboratively with other students who are also autistic.

Guiding preservice teachers in developing TPCK

The focus of this chapter is on preparing preservice teachers as they develop TPCK.  One of the major challenges for preservice teachers is not having learned their particular subject with the use of technology.  Consequently preservice teachers are required to learn how to teach in a different way than they were taught, incorporating new and emerging technologies.  This is difficult because “how a person learns a particular set of knowledge and skills, and the situation in which a person learns, become a fundamental part of what is learned” (p. 224).

What do preservice teachers need to develop TPCK?  In a nutshell, these “teachers must be prepared to rethink, unlearn and relearn, change, revise, and adapt” (p. 225).  Preservice teachers need actual and varied experiences to relearn, rather than lectures alone.  For example, in this course we had a presentation about intellectual property and now we are incorporating these concepts into our designs.  The question “What strategies support students in learning about the technology as they are learning with technology?” (p. 240) is something to be reflected upon continuously.

Only on certain occasions as required by an IEP does an assistive technology consultant come to our classroom, assess a student and give (invaluable) guidance.  This type of consult is very expensive, not necessarily focused on typical technology and may not be ongoing. Otherwise, our students are at the mercy of what knowledge the teacher and ed techs have learned on their own about technology.

To remedy this deficit at my school I think professional learning communities should be focused on technology for special educators (teachers and ed techs).  In this way some of the methods suggested for teaching preservice teachers could be employed for learning and practicing technology.  Research teams could be created to investigate “what accommodations are needed for the various diversities of the students—physical, cognitive, personal, cultural, social and technological” (p. 231). What a luxury this would be.