Technology Pedagogical Content Knowledge

In 1986 Lee Shulman published an article entitled "Those Who Understand: Knowledge Growth in Teaching." In this article Shulman coined the term Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). According to this author PCK is one domain of the knowledge that a teacher must have to effectively educate students. PCK provides teachers with an understanding of how to most effectively bridge the relationship between students and specific content so that students develop a deep understanding of it. In order to do this, teachers must possess an understandng of preconceptions and misconceptions that students bring to the table. They must have a repertoire of examples and resources which they can employ to help students think about material under study. Teachers must know how to introduce the teaching of subjects and how to conclude specific teaching. Every discipline and every component of every discipline has particular PCK associated with it.

Recently, I've been thinking about teaching with technology. Research has demonstrated that it's not enough to simply put technology in front of students. (Although actually I wonder if sometimes simply putting well developed technological tools in front of students will enable them to sometimes develop deeper understandings of content.) Punya Mishra and Matthew J. Koehler, two professors at Michigan State University, argue that there is something called Technology Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK). Teachers must possess specific knowledge and skills as to how to most effectivley use technology to teach specific content if technology is going to make the greatest impact. What I wonder is what type of specific knowledge and skills do teachers need to do this. What are the components of TPCK?

Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A new framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017-1054.

Shulman, L. (1986). Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching. Educational Researcher, 15(2), 4-14.