Wicked Problem Project-PART B: Application of TPACK

With this post I will attempt to explain how my solution answers the three different forms of knowledge that make up the TPACK model in a simple manner so my colleagues and other educators who may not be aware of TPACK and it's importance in the integration of technology can understand it. 


For my problem, I wanted to find a way to motivate my second and third grade students to learn and interact more with their lessons so they could demonstrate to me, their knowledge of the material being covered in the curriculum. To help solve this problem, I have chosen to teach my students how to use Glogster EDU so they could create online posters which I will use as an assessment tool to evaluate their understanding of subject matter. In the article, Digital Posters: Composing With An Online Canvas, Kevin Hodgson tells us, "When we talk about visual literacy - that element of purposeful construction of learning through a mixture of words and media - posters of all kinds have traditionally been a valuable assessment of learning (as long as it is the student making the poster, and not the parent). The choices that a student makes in designing a poster inform the learning of new materials, and allow a teacher a glimpse into the thinking of a student. The use of media to complement your ideas is the center of most poster projects, online or not." 


At this point, you may be saying to yourself, "There's nothing new to making posters. Why do the students need to use technology to do that?" You're right. Posters have been used by teachers for displaying student learning for many years. Let's just start with some of the basics on how the use of technology in making online posters can add to the students' learning experience and go from there. 


First of all, making a typical poster requires supplies like posterboard, magazines, scissors, glue, and markers. Then the creator flips through lots of magazines that contain cut up pages from their previous uses to find images and text to cut out. This is time consuming and for young students, cutting with scissors can be difficult and usually results in jagged edges with parts of the picture cut off. Once glued down on the posterboard, it's there for life! And don't think that students never make mistakes in their writing or don't leave enough room to write something with their large printed letters. Frustration abounds for young children when putting together a poster! 


With an online poster tool such as Glogster EDU, however, students only need a computer and an internet connection. Glogster provides all the rest: a safe and secure site for children to work, a blank canvas that can become a background of any color, and the ability for the student to choose and select from a mirage of images and font styles. If the child decides to move things around or select another image, they have that ability by simply selecting new items and dragging and dropping them where ever they want. They can play with the design, correct mistakes without leaving a mess on the board, use small font to convey what they want to say, and they'll have lots of fun being creative while they're at it. Each student's work will be as unique as the individual who created it. No two posters will ever be the same and each one will display the knowledge of its particular creator. 


This is an excellent example of student-led, individualized, activity-based learning filled with lots of opportunity to explore, problem-solve, and collaborate with one another. As students have the opportunity to explore the technology and find new ways to express their thinking, they become totally engaged in their work. What's more, once a student discovers their ability to do something new with the program, they anxiously begin teaching their classmates. This adds to the sense of community that our school values so much.


All these elements support my teaching methods and enhance the variety of strategies I implement within my classroom. But these are actions that are difficult to get my students to display on a regular basis. Any type of technology that students can interact with becomes a motivational tool for learning. The website of Glogster EDU points out that this particular tool "drives new interest levels around subjects that may have been seen as 'boring' before." The motivation to be able to get onto the computers helps students to stay focused on their learning. My students will know that only after they have shown me the rough draft of their poster will they be allowed on the Glogster site.


And finally, as I've explained before, cutting and pasting doesn't always work for all children and their diverse needs and abilities. With Glogster EDU I can provide for differentiation in my students' learning. It's simple enough that even the youngest of students can use it if taught properly. It allows students to demonstrate their knowledge in a manner that works for them - whether that be a simple poster with all the requirements or a complex poster which includes detailed attention to the design elements and the inclusion of media, audio, video, and text. This is particularly important in my multiage classroom. Finding a new and exciting activity that is compatible to a variety of different interest and skill levels can often be a difficult task.