1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,000 Episode 19, TPAC. 2 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:11,520 In 2006, scholars Punea Mishra and Matthew J. Kohler from Michigan State University 3 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:15,440 detailed the TPAC framework. According to this model, 4 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:21,760 three types of knowledge affect educators' use of technology. These three define seven independent 5 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:27,280 and combined domains of knowledge. These are largely independent, but one combined 6 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:32,480 provide a framework for comprehensive understanding of technology in schools. 7 00:00:32,480 --> 00:00:38,720 Some maintain TPAC is a theoretical framework. I'm among those who maintain TPAC is a useful 8 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:44,080 framework for planning and decision-making as well as improving IT operations, 9 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:48,560 but it lacks the causal explanations linked to theoretical understanding. 10 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:53,760 Regardless, it does help school and technology leaders understand technology in their schools. 11 00:00:53,760 --> 00:01:00,080 To keep the seven types of knowledge that emerge from TPAC clear, it is helpful to look at the 12 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:06,080 Venn diagram that's often used to illustrate TPAC. The three independent types of knowledge are 13 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:12,240 technological, the ability to operate hardware, software, and use digital data, pedagogical 14 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:17,280 knowledge, which is the ability to create effective instruction and content knowledge, 15 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:22,400 which is knowledge of the subject that's being taught. These combine to make three 16 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:28,800 additional types of knowledge. Technological content or TC knowledge comprises understanding 17 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:35,840 of the tools used for teaching specific content. For example, the tools we find in science laboratories 18 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:43,040 to collect experimental data. Pedagogical content or PC knowledge comprises understanding of how 19 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:49,840 to teach specific content. Technological, pedagogical, or TP knowledge comprises knowledge 20 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:55,280 of the methods used to teach with technology. The last type of knowledge combines all three, 21 00:01:56,320 --> 00:02:02,640 so TPC knowledge comprises the ability to teach specific content using technology. 22 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:08,880 Learning scientists study, among many other things, transfer, which is the ability to apply 23 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:16,160 knowledge developed in one area to another area. They contrast far transfer with near transfer. 24 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:22,560 The more similar two situations are, the closer the transfer. It is reasonably well established 25 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:29,840 that far transfer is weak. Teaching chess will not help players to strategize in other settings. 26 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:36,080 Weak transfer is a well-known phenomenon outside of school as well. I illustrate this with an 27 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:41,280 example of a former colleague who was skilled at analyzing data in industrial settings, 28 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:46,640 but who was an active climate change denier. While they could draw reasonable conclusions on 29 00:02:46,640 --> 00:02:51,600 data regarding performance in manufacturing settings, they could not apply those same 30 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:58,960 skills to climate data. For IT professionals who work in schools, TPAC is a useful tool for 31 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:06,160 differentiating their role in decision-making and planning from educators. As an IT professional, 32 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:12,880 you are largely responsible for the technological knowledge one needs. What one does and how one 33 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:18,480 operates IT when used on campus, both the physical campus and the virtual campus, 34 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:25,040 depends on how your systems have been configured. Further, IT folks have a responsibility to train 35 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:30,720 users in the operation of those systems. IT professionals collaborate with educators on 36 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:36,000 decisions related to the technological content tools that will be available in their classrooms. 37 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:42,000 While we have significant knowledge of technology tools, we often have less knowledge about the 38 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:49,040 tools used in specific content areas. Of course, we are sometimes more skilled. Consider mathematics 39 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:53,920 instruction, for example. When IT professionals with deep knowledge of spreadsheets collaborate 40 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:59,680 with educators, they can create tools that can be used to illustrate complex math concepts. 41 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:07,760 The best TC environments result from collaboration. In a similar way, the best pedagogical 42 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:13,760 technology knowledge arises from collaboration between IT professionals and educators. While 43 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:19,600 some technology-based instruction may be easy to configure, others are more difficult. These 44 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:26,800 decisions about what to configure can facilitate instruction or inhibit instruction, so collaboration 45 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:34,720 is key. Near and far transfer affects educators and IT professionals. Technological knowledge, 46 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:41,360 which is the IT professionals domain, is relatively far from combined TPC knowledge. 47 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:47,120 Just because one has deep technological knowledge does not mean they can apply that to teaching 48 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:53,600 situations for specific content. The theme of this podcast is the need for collaboration between 49 00:04:53,600 --> 00:05:00,720 IT professionals and educators when designing IT for schools. I suggested earlier that TPAC may not 50 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:07,280 be a theoretical framework as it lacks causal explanations. Perhaps I was wrong. TPAC does 51 00:05:07,280 --> 00:05:24,960 allow us to predict that increased collaboration results in better IT decisions in schools.