Science, Technology, and teaching the topic-
specific challenges of TPCK in Science

I’d first like to define Pedagogical content knowledge, because it is talked about often in this chapter, and must be somewhat understood. PCK is defined as a “teacher’s understanding of how to help students understand specific content knowledge (p. 193).” This seems to develop as the teacher’s experience grows, and often encompasses understanding of the curriculum, student learning, assessments, and instructional strategies.

Three aspects that were discussed include 1.) knowing where to use technology, 2.) what technology to use, and 3.) how to teach with it. All three of these can be thought about when planning for any lesson in any content area.

As I read about each point of integration I continued to wonder where technology would best fit in a 25 to 30 minute reading/language arts or math lesson. I thought about the technologies that I’ve been exposed too (comic life, teacher tube, math games) and wondered how the teachers, principal, and superintendent would view my program if by chance they walked by and saw the lowest achieving students in the school engaged behind a computer screen. I agreed, that learning how to teach with these technologies is important and would be easier if I had a couple laptops in my classroom, more time to learn, and more time (to see the 31 students that are currently coming to my classroom two to five times a week for a “double dose” of direct, intensive instruction).
Money issues-
As money continues dwindle, just printing a few pages of my (Comic Life) project using the color printer makes me feel uneasy.
Time issues-
Although valuable for my comic life project, taking the time to create the two settings, choose the characters, and reenact the story took days away from the continued reading, writing, and discussion that would normally have taken place. It took five, thirty minute lessons to retell this one story. Normally, I would have introduced at least two books in this amount of time, asking them to retell the beginning, middle, and end verbally or in writing.

I walked away with new thoughts and some new wedsites to check out with my own children at home.