TPACK and Assigned Article Review 1/7/17

In both the TPACK article as well as my assigned article entitled, "Teachers' Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Learning Activity Types", the focus is primarily put on the integration of technology into teaching. In the TPACK article, the authors from Michigan State University open by explaining how the rise of digital technology has changed routines in all of the workforce in order to show its overall importance and solidify their overall argument for integration. They continue by addressing the problem which they believe to be the tendency to only look at the technology and not how it is being used. This problem is likely due to a lack of theoretical grounding surrounding technology as it is often analyzed by case studies as technology is forever changing. The framework for solving some of these issues is done rather broadly by addressing teacher content knowledge and pedagogy. In order to be a good teacher, a happy medium must be met between the two, known as pedagogical content knowledge. In order for teachers to effectively integrate technology into their classrooms, they need to not only know the basics of how to use such technology, but also how to apply it in their classroom effectively. Though effective use can vary by subject or classroom, all teachers should learn at least the basics of  technology as well as ways to effectively apply it in any basic classroom. In my assigned article which was in fact written by the same authors Punya Mishra and Matthew Koehler, they include the input of another author Judith Harris from the College of William and Mary. In this study which addresses the same issues with similar solutions, they have examined K-12 teachers and their instructional applications of educational technologies. The study begins by stating that many of these applications are pedagogically unsophisticated as they are limited in terms of breadth, variety, and depth. They then identify five general approaches that are typical of current and past integration efforts. These include software-focused initiatives, demonstrations of sample resources, technology based educational reform efforts, structured/standardized professional development workshops or courses, and technology focused teacher education courses. Though all of these approaches differ from one another they all tend to organize their efforts by current technology being used instead of focusing on the learning needs of students and how use of such technology can meet those needs. The article then continues to show the difference between pedagogical and content knowledge, emphasizing the need for teachers to find that happy medium. Though both of these articles are essentially the same with the same authors and the exception of Judith Harris, the one assigned to me does expand on the TPACK article and shows what methods are being used and have been used as well as how to more effectively reach students with the technology, rather than focus on the technology itself. After all, it is truly about the students and not the technology.