PART B - Application of TPACK

1. What is the TP knowledge for the solution?  (i.e., how does the technology you have chosen support the teaching strategies and methods you have chosen?)

TP Knowledge is “knowledge of the existence, components, and capabilities of various technologies as they are used in teaching and learning settings, and conversely, knowing how teaching might change as the result of using particular technologies.” Below I have listed the technologies that I plan to incorporate in my TPACK solution and how it supports the teaching strategies and methods that I have chosen.

Website: I have decided to use the google site Algebra 1 that I created while taking CEP 811. Using this technology gives me the “place” or “platform” for students to go to find out about what happened during the lesson that they missed or simply want to visit for reinforcement. This site has a variety of tools for me to imbed links, videos, pictures, and various teaching resources that I plan to use to make the e-lessons for my course. In addition, our school also does the emailing system through google. Using google site then will be more familiar for the students, parents, and teachers that may want to visit. Having this site available for students to use will provide them with opportunities to learn and go-over what took place in the lesson as often as they need to. In reality, it opens up the doors of classrooms and allows learning to take place “outside” as well.

Webquests: In CEP 811, I explored and evaluated some webquests that were very useful and engaging. I plan to select one, maybe two, that are applicable to the concepts and topics that were are working on as a different way to deliver the ideas that were taught during the lesson. This may end up being an extension of the lesson since we might not always get to it during the class time. With mathematics at this level, it is crucial to present information in a way that students understand and are able to follow along. I pan to include webquests that follow very closely with my teaching strategies. Where some webquests may use a different approach, I plan to make that clear to students in order to ensure that there is no confusion in their understandings of the concepts.

My Video: Having made a video of myself at the beginning of CEP812, I am thinking of creating one for each lesson. The video will basically provide the agenda of the lesson and help students follow through the entire e-lesson using all the resources provided. It will outline my expectations. This is actually very close to what I do in the classroom at the beginning of every lesson. From my experience in the classroom, I noticed that when I make my plan and expectations for the lesson clear, students are able to learn and follow through more effectively.

Pictures/Notes: In this site, I am able to easily include classroom notes, pictures of examples, and worked-out solutions for problems being assigned. It also allows me to highlight the important part of the lesson. Students can then clearly see the main ideas. Another teaching strategy that I use regularly in the classroom is connecting the concepts we are learning to ideas that were discussed in previous lessons as well as making connections with real-life examples. I intend to convert my classroom notes from the SmartBoard into a pdf format that can be uploaded to the e-lesson.

More Videos: As an additional resource I plan to including videos from other resources that are available on the internet. This includes videos from Khan’s Academy, Youtube, and Robswartz. This will allow students to see the same mathematics presented in a different way. This can enrich their understanding of the mathematics being taught in the lesson.

2. What is the TC knowledge for the solution? (i.e., how specifically does this technology make the content in your problem more intellectually accessible?  Be sure to think about representation.)

TC knowledge is “knowledge about the manner in which technology and content are reciprocally related.”

Webquests: While exploring some of the webquests in CEP 811, I was able to find ones in which the topic of the webquest matches almost perfectly with the content of the lesson. Here the technology itself helps in the teaching of the lesson. In the study of algebraic functions, we need to see how the different representations of functions (as an equation, as a table of values, as a graph) are connected. This is where webquests can play a major role. It can help students see the connections and relationships immediately. Furthermore, it can help in the deeper understanding of how the changes in the equation of the function impact the relationship between the variables and what it really means.

Geogebra: This is a graphing tool that allows students to graph functions easily to develop a better and clearer understanding. The study of functions is one of the main concepts of Algebra 1. This tool allows students to “play around” with various functions and to visually see what they look like and how they can be related to one another. We are planning on using this program with our Algebra 1 students next year. The link for this tool and clear instructions can also be a useful resource to include in my e-lessons when it is applicable.

3. What is the PC knowledge for the solution? (i.e., how specifically do your pedagogical choices make the content in your problem more intellectually accessible?) Be sure to think about how the student will experience the content given these instructional strategies.

PC is “concerned with the representation and formulation of concepts, pedagogical techniques, knowledge of what makes concepts difficult or easy to learn, knowledge of students’ prior knowledge…” This knowledge is very deeply connected with the type of student body that we have in our classroom. The Algebra 1 e-lessons that I am designing are for the average Grade Nine students. These students do well when concepts and ideas are delivered in different ways. Some students learn best taking notes and watching the teacher model and example; other students learn well when they are constructing and exploring to figure out the mathematical “rules” or “concepts”; another group may need to see a visual representation or a model to develop an understanding before they can start solving problems; and yet some students learn best when concepts are linked to real life applications. Similarly, some students prefer to work independently, some with a partner, and others in a group of three or four. Creating e-lessons allows student to experience and learn the math concepts in different ways using various resources. After learning more about web conferencing, I am considering to incorporate it into some of the e-lessons to give a chance for students to discuss and ask questions. This may be helpful in the review lesson before an assessment. It will also give an opportunity for students who learn best in a cooperative environment to maximize their understanding.