As technology within the classroom has been increasing, a number of researchers have developed different models to help teachers begin to understand how to place technology in their pedagogy. Models such as SAMR or TPACK have been shown to be rather successful in this process. But both models do have limitations, as expressed by a follow teacher's blog.
The SAMR model presents a continuum of a teacher's developing practice of using technology in lessons. The problem is that the SAMR model seems to separate the tool from teaching - the exact opposite of what we are trying to achieve. Though it may be a great model for determining how teachers are using the tool, the focus should not be too strong on the tool itself. By focusing on the tool, it appears to some people that without the tool you cannot do great teaching - which we all know is a huge fallacy as great teaching has been happening without technology for a very long time.
The TPACK model is a Venn diagram showing the types of knowledge necessary to incorporate technology into student learning. The place that great teaching occurs, it is argued by the model, is in the center. The issue with this model is that visually everything looks equal, but in reality it could be argued that Content Knowledge and Technological Knowledge are less important (but still somewhat important) than Pedagogical Knowledge. Think of the times that you had to teach content you knew nothing about (we've all been there!) - you were still able to put together a relatively successful lesson without knowing much about the content. Or when you started using technology in your classroom but had no depth of knowledge about how it was supposed to work. Again, you can be successful. The key is how is your pedagogy? What methods and practices of teaching are you using? This is what will make student learning actually happen! If I had to redraw the TPACK diagram above, I would make the PK circle multiple times bigger than the other two. (That being said, Technological and Content Knowledge will simply improve the lesson even more and increase the number of options the teacher has in teaching the lesson.)So, why do we need technology in the classroom?!? If we can do great teaching without it, why not save the money and not purchase it? As with any tool, the purpose of a tool is to increase productivity, improve efficiency, and make the master's job easier to accomplish. Likewise, that is the purpose in education: tools allow students to practice skills more productively, teachers to implement lessons more efficiently, and teachers can check for understanding more easily. There are many skills that we want students to learn and benefit from, and good teaching can happen with or without the tools. But the tools make it easier to help students to learn.
