If you type into the Google search bar "synthesize", the second definition that comes up is: "Combine (a number of things) into a coherent whole." The TPACK model is a prime example of this definition: an ideal blend of pedagogy, technology, and content knowledge. The model, whose authors and contributors are numerous, aims to marry the information that educators have come to segregate. Instead of thinking of technology as one concept, TPACK combines technology with best teaching practices, or with content knowledge ... and sometimes both. The designers created a Venn Diagram to represent the three facets of TPACK in order to better show how the three concepts overlap each other.
Switching gears a moment ... In my first post, I promised some science, here goes. The whole concept of TPACK made me think of photosynthesis, a simply complex concept that can easily be broken down by its Latin roots: "photo" meaning light, and "synthesis" meaning to put together ... so we're putting something together via light reactions, which is (drum roll) plant food, aka glucose!!!
So how does this relate to TPACK? In an abstract way, if we break apart the key ingredients in photosynthesis and equate them with the parts of TPACK, it does work ... stay with me! The reactants, or the "ingredients", in photosynthesis are: sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide (so don't cut down trees or else we won't have something that can use up what we exhale!). Separate, these three reactants have importance and we can understand how they are important to the cycle of life, but they are not as effective. But together, these three reactants synthesize, or combine, to make oxygen (yay for usable air!) and glucose (aka plant food).
In the education world many of the key components to effective teaching are taught in separate, individual modules, and synthesis rarely happens. Without synthesis, we are left with three pieces of an incomplete puzzle ... Of all the professional fields, I am surprised that it has taken this long for a successful graphic model to be produced showing the important of linking pedagogy with technology -- because we know not all technology is good or useful -- as well as linking technology with content knowledge -- who knew that we could hook up a live camera to a microscope and project it onto the screen?
TPACK is a very sound model that I think many districts would benefit from studying, and creating professional development around. I never heard of it until taking this course, but I see the value in it ... especially a model that works to unite the various aspects of successful teaching instead of attempting to segregate it.
