Frameworks help us make sense not only of all the different information that is available to us but how to make that information work together in order to improve our practice. Here is one very popular model for technology integration (TPACK), and a model about levels of technology use (SAMR). I see them as fitting together quite well – that the SAMR model frames and supports the technology part of the TPACK model. I’d be interested to hear what you think about that, so do let me know if you agree or not.

TPACK

TPACK can be a little confusing at first, but one quote that began to make it clearer for me was this one from Dr Ruben Puentedura: ”A particular approach to a particular topic using a particular set of technology tools.”

TPACK is about knowing your content, then knowing how to teach your content, then knowing which technology tools will help you teach your content in an effective way. It makes us think critically about why we are choosing certain tools and approaches.

The ISTE 08 Keynote by Punya Mishra and Matthew Koehler –  is well worth watching (it goes for an hour) for a great explanation of the TPACK model. For a quicker introduction here is a 3 minute video from YouTube that explains it very succinctly:

The main TPACK website is the place to go for more detailed information: TPACK: Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge

TPACK can be used quite successfully for technology integration in the languages classroom. There has been criticism of it (link to come) in regards to the content component suggesting that there is not set ‘content’ for languages as it can be about anything. I tend to think that ‘content’ for languages in general would be things like meta-linguistic awareness, language functions, using language appropriately, and that ‘content’ is certainly there for languages. The following presentation addresses that part of the model quite nicely.

Some lists of Content, Technology and Pedagogy/Teaching strategies will be uploaded (to this page on the technolanguages wiki) after Monday Oct 24th (that’s when I’m running a workshop and will do some brainstorming with some languages teachers).

SAMR

The SAMR model helps us to think about how we are using technology – at which level we are implementing it. It’s really important for us to think about whether we are using the technology for substitution or if we are really creating things that weren’t possible before. Watch this video for a brief (15 minute) overview of this model.

This is also worth checking out for an explanation of how the two frameworks can be combined:

Video Podcast from Ruben Puentedura about technology aspect of TPACK and the SAMR Model (Episode 1)

and a graphic of his talk with examples: http://www.hippasus.com/rrpweblog/archives/000025.html

For the moment it’s just information but I’ll  post more once I’ve had better conversations with languages teachers about these models and how they useful they see them being in their technology integration.

Image Attribution: Frame by seyed mostafa zamani