TPACK 101

Podcast Script

TPACK 101

by Clare Kilbane

OK. So you’re a teacher heading off on an adventure with 21st Century learning and technology . . . . Du duh dad a!

Before you begin, there’s something you should be sure to pack- it’s TPACK.

What’s TPACK you ask? TPACK is an acronym that stands for the specialized knowledge that will help you be more successful as a technology integrating teacher.

TPACK stands for the words Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge.

TPACK also stands for the concept that what teachers know about effective teaching, their subject matter and educational technology must be used together if they are to be successful using technology in their classroom to support student learning.

To understand TPACK better, let’s unpack the TPACK acronym and examine the different domains of teacher knowledge. We’ll use this diagram created by the folks at to help us.

The original domains of teacher knowledge can be represented with a simple Venn diagram. This diagram shows us the different types of knowledge effective teachers possess and how these types of knowledge can be integrated to make them more successful.

The circle on the left stands for Pedagogical Knowledge (sometimes called PK). This term is used to describe a teacher’s understanding of the principles of instruction. A teacher uses PK when she decides what instructional model, strategy or activity type to teach specific content standards or meet the needs of his or her learners.

The circle on the right stands for Content Knowledge (sometimes called CK). This term refers to a teacher’s understanding of the facts, procedures, concepts and organization of subject matter in their content area. A teacher relies on CK when he or she makes decisions about how to sequence curriculum standards and convey course material.

The area that overlaps between the two circles represents the dynamic integration of these two domains of professional knowledge. Pedagogical Content Knowledge or PCK or PCK informs a teacher’s decisions about the best methods to use for teaching specific content standards to his or her students.

These professional knowledge domains have traditionally been used to design and organize the experiences teachers receive as they prepare for and continue on in the profession of education. The degree of mastery teachers develop in each area and the extent to which they can integrate these knowledge domains in the classroom is related to their success with students.

As you might have guessed, the introduction of technology in learning environments has added complexity to this original notion of what constitutes a teacher’s professional knowledge based.

Let’s add another circle to this mix.

TK stands for technological knowledge. Is the first additional knowledge domain teachers must develop competence in for 21st century learning. If a teacher had TK, he or she understands how to operate and problem-solve with educational technologies like whiteboards, laptops, and clickers.

But that’s not all- they also need TCK or Technological Content Knowledge as they work to maintain mastery of their subject matter. TCK involves teachers understanding the role technology plays for experts in their subject matter and how it contributes to understanding ways of knowing in the respective academic disciplines.

TCK is the type of knowledge that develops when a teacher begins to understand the dynamic relationship between CK and TK

Teachers also need Technological Pedagogical Knowledge or TPK. This knowledge relates to their ability to use technology as a tool for instruction and to support student learning. Teachers use TPK as they make choices about the best tools to use when working to make their instructional practices more successful.

TPK is the type of knowledge that develops when a teacher begins to understand the dynamic relationship between PK and TK

So that brings us back to TPACK

As you probably figured out, TPACK is the complete integration of all the professional knowledge domains just introduced. It is Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge and it refers to a teacher’s ability to negotiate the interplay of technology, pedagogy and content to make learning more efficient, effective, and engaging.

TPACK is a type of knowledge that develops when a teacher begins to understand the dynamic relationship between CK, PK and TK. It also involves the integration of PCK, TCK and TPK.

Although the concept itself sounds complicated – that’s an awful lot of syllables—it is really quite simple. Hidden underneath this complicated term is a simple idea- that good educational technology use is built on the principles of effective teaching.

Your introduction to the concept of TPACK should be helpful in numerous ways.

First, it helps you understand the different domains of teacher knowledge so you can intentionally work to develop in each. Every one of us has areas where we are more and less proficient as teachers but to be successful with technology, we need to have competence in them all. You might use this framework to assess yourself and develop a professional growth plan

Second, knowledge of the TPACK concept should enable you to communicate more effectively with other teachers in your community. It is expected that better communication will support collaboration and enable more powerful and relevant uses of technology to transform education.

Third, the TPACK concept can provide you a set of lenses with which to view technology integration efforts and determine their effectiveness.

So be sure to pack it for your adventures with 21st Century teaching.