On the Reasonableness of TPACK as an Implementation and Evaluation Framework

Royce KimmonsUniversity of Texas at Austin

TPACK Model

Difficulties & Limitations of TPACK for Assessment and Evaluation

1. Fuzziness2. Techno-centrism3. Misapplication of the model

[1] Fuzziness

Evaluating for Fuzziness

• “I can teach lessons that appropriately combine literacy, technologies, and teaching approaches[;]”

• “I can teach lessons that appropriately combine science, technologies, and teaching approaches[;] [...]”

• “I can provide leadership in helping others to coordinate the use of content, technologies, and teaching approaches at my school and/or district” (Schmidt, Baran, Thompson, Mishra, Koehler, & Shin, 2009; emphasis added)

[2] Techno-centrism

• Can you have TPACK without T?• Is T always appropriate?• Where are the students in all of this?

Learning?• How does T change the teaching?– R – Replacement– A – Amplification– T – Transformation (Hughes et al., 2006)

[3] Misapplication of the Model

Venn Diagrams as Logical ModelsR + W = WR

TautologicalSufficient & Necessary Causes

Venn Diagrams as Illustrative Models

A + S = ?Non-Tautological

Merely Necessary Cause

If No A or No S = No PBP

Various Relationships

How do we use PCK & TPACK?Logical ModelTautological

IllustrationNon-Tautologicalvs.

Sufficient & Necessary Cause

Necessary Cause

PCK as an Illustration

Can PCK be a Logical Model?

Recap

1. Theoretical Models like Venn Diagrams may be used in a Tautological (Logical or Sufficient & Necessary) or a Non-Tautological (Illustrative or Merely Necessary) manner

2. A single diagram may be used in one or both ways if it shows multiple relationships; TPACK includes both types of relationships

TPACK Model

Logical Conversion: Overcomplication

TPACK Model

Assessing for TPACK

Assessing for TPACK

Misapplication: Type 1

Misapplication: Type 2

Solution: Assess for the Hybrid Domains

What’s Missing in Ed Tech?

Surest Method for Assessing for and Implementing TPACK

Is this a Reasonable Approach?

• Logically implies TPACK• Less fuzzy than attempting to assess for and

implement TPACK directly• Does not sacrifice any inherent complexity of

TPACK

• Is this an unnecessary complication?• Should we even be assessing for TPACK at all?

Questions? Thoughts?

Royce KimmonsTwitter: http://twitter.com/roycekimmonsEmail: royce@kimmonsdesign.com