Me and TPACK (No, it's not a rapper!)

If I apply the three main components of the TPACK Framework   I can assess and reflect upon my personal professional strengths and challenges in relation to: Content Knowledge, Pedagogy and Technology.

As I Teacher Librarian I have wide subject knowledge of the Key Learning Areas taught in Queensland primary schools. These KLAs are from the Australian Curriculum F-10 and Queensland Curriculum P-10 (for areas not yet part of the Australian Curriculum).  Nineteen years as a classroom teacher required me to teach and assess all subjects from Year 1 to Year 7. I have more expertise in the areas of Health and Physical Education because I trained as a specialist in this area and have pursued further studies outside of education.  I have expertise in the management and organisation of a library because again I completed a higher Diploma in this field.  I am skilled at cataloguing based on the Dewey Decimal system and MARC files.  I would consider myself a generalist (I know something about a lot of subject areas).  In my teaching context set subject curriculum strongly influences the content taught particularly with the recent emphasis on whole state consistency using the Curriculum to the Classroom units. There are some subject areas I no longer teach so when new knowledge has been created in these areas I have not experienced it, for example maths and science.  Of the three main components of the TPACK framework I would consider I have greater overall strength in the area of content knowledge.

Pedagogy strengths are probably the most difficult for me to reflect on. Through experience and study I have good knowledge around assessment (collection and analysis).  I have a strong understanding of how students learn and what motivates them.  Due to the recent focus on High Yield instruction (Marzano, 2009) through Explicit Instruction and IMPACT model training for Project 600 I am confident with this approach to teaching.  I develop in line with systemic requirements of the department I work for. Differentiation is the “buzz” word at present at my workplace and this is an aspect of pedagogy I need to work on. Some new programs based on CAFE Daily Reading, Words Their Way (spelling) and an Honours Program (for student extension)  that my school is implementing is presenting me with many ideas around individualisation in literacy.

Technology…what can I say. I love it-I hate it! I find it the most exciting but frustrating aspect of teaching. Besides the fact it is forever changing I enjoy the challenge of adapting and learning. My positive attitude to increasing my knowledge in this area I consider a strength, but the width and depth of my knowledge is lacking. Having said this I probably shouldn’t be too harsh on myself because when I look around me I don’t consider my abilities lagging behind the majority of my colleagues. I am quite capable with search and catalogue software.  I would like to construct more knowledge with mobile idevices and learn how to build a website.

I have included the summary of my strengths and areas most requiring growth as per my thread added to the Cacoo concept map.