Introducing TPCK to Pre-service Teachers through

Digital Storytelling

Dr. Ellen Maddin

Northern Kentucky University

Course Content Considerations

There are many factors that influence the content of educational technology courses for pre-service teachers:

• Time (to cover content, pedagogy, and skills)• Students’ prior knowledge• Diversity of teaching interests• Differences in skill levels• Evolution of available tools and resources

Research Question

How can an educational technology course for pre-service teachers maintain an emphasis on pedagogical understanding while addressing the skills and competencies needed to use computer tools effectively?

TPCK Framework

Pedagogical Content Knowledge

Technological Pedagogical Knowledge

Technological Content Knowledge

TPCK

Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge

What we know . . .

Pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward computers influence their willingness to integrate technology into teaching and learning (Teo, 2008)

Teachers must believe that technology adds value to traditional instructional strategies (Koch, Misook & Kush, 2012)

Digital storytelling is highly motivating to learners in K-12 and secondary settings (Gregory & Steelman, 2008; Sadik, 2008)

What we know . . .

The process of researching, planning and producing a digital story:Encourages reflection (Jenkins &Lonsdale, 2007;

Genereux & Thompson, 2008; Sandars & Murray, 2009)Improves reading and writing (Gregory & Steelman,

2008; Kajder, 2004; Sylvester & Greenidge, 2010)Increases understanding of content (Sadik, 2008)

Facilitates critical thinking (Borneman & Gibson, 2011)

Helps learners to construct meaning (Rossiter & Garcia, 2010)

Learning by Design Approach

Decrease in lecture and demonstration

Increase in “learning by doing”

Provision of opportunities for dialogue and interaction between participants in design teams

Mishra & Koehler, 2005; Mishra & Koehler, 2006;

Procedure: Session One

Digital storytelling was introduced through examples of stories created by elementary and secondary students—representing science, social studies, mathematics and English language arts

Digital Storytelling

Lifecycle of a

Butterfly

Learning Team Questions

1. In what ways are students learning through the process of designing creating, and sharing digital stories?

2. What evidence of learning do you see in students’ finished products?

3. How might you apply this instructional approach to teaching in your grade-level/content area?

Exploring Models

Students viewed stories produced by peers in the previous semester. The following questions were presented for discussion: 1. What is the purpose of the story?

2. How do images, music, narration and text contribute to the central message in the story?

3. Is the documentary an effective communication of the message? If so, what elements contribute most to its effectiveness?

Topics

K-12 global learning projectsUse of cell phones as instructional toolsInternet safetyCyber-bullyingOther topics (chosen by students)

Digital footprintSexting Use of social media to extend classroom learning

Planning Tools/Media Resources

Digital Story Planning MapDigital Storytelling RubricMedia Resources

Prior to the next class meeting, students researched chosen topics and prepared a digital story script. They located and saved media (photos, graphics, and music) and used the planning guide to consider purpose, audience, mood, and sequencing.

Procedure: Session Two

Instructor overview of digital storytelling applications

Brief demonstration of the process for importing and editing media

Hands-on lab (story production)

Interim

Students participated in peer review and used feedback to make revisions

Open lab sessions (voluntary attendance) allowed students to work on their stories with assistance from the instructor

Procedure: Session 3

Students published their digital stories to websites

Learning teams reviewed documentaries and selected one story to represent the group

Team picks were featured on the “Big Screen”

Findings

Purposeful use of reflection allowed students to make connections between the technology and their instructional practice.

Self-assessment and peer review strengthened the quality of students’ final products.

Using a digital storytelling planning map helped to emphasize the importance of well-researched content over technical mastery.

Findings

Requiring students to research a topic, write the script and gather raw material (photos, videos, music) prior to beginning instruction on software tools resulted in better final products.

Students needed explicit instruction on the legal use of digital media.

Web publishing increased students’ investment in their finished projects and provided an opportunity for participants to contribute to the larger educational community.

Conclusions

This study supports the findings of Kiraz and Ozdemar (2006), who found that perceived usefulness of a technology tool was more influential than perceived ease of use.

Establishing a solid rationale for using a computer application before addressing technology skills and competencies shifts the focus from the tool to the pedagogy.

Greater collaboration among faculty in theory and methods courses and educational technology courses could extend students’ understanding of TPCK.

Conclusions

Initiatives such as the Partnership for 21st Century Skills illuminate the relationship between technology tools, critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity and innovation.

Further research is needed to examine the relationship between pre-service teacher preparation and technology integration in the classroom in later years.

References

Beach, R., Hull, G. & O’Brien, D. (2010). Tranforming English language arts in a Web 2.0 world. In D. Lapp. & D. Fisher (Eds.), Handbook of research on teaching the English language arts (pp. 161-167). New York, NY: Routledge.

 

Borneman, D. & Gibson, K. (2011). Digital storytelling: Meeting standards across the curriculum in a WWII holocaust unit. School library monthly, 27(7), 16-18.

 

Brown, D. & Warshauer, M. (2006). Students’ experiences in learning to integrate technology into instruction. Journal of technology and teacher education, 14(3), 599-621.

 

Common core state standards initiative (2010). Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/

 

Czarnecki, K. (2009). Digital storytelling in practice: Storytelling in context. Library technology reports, 45(7), 5-8.

 

Davis, F., Bagozzi, R. & Warshaw, P. (1989). User acceptance of computer technology: a comparison of two theoretical models. Management science, 35(8), 982-1003.

 

Genereux, A. & Thompson, W. (2008). Lights, camera, reflection! Digital movies: A tool for reflective learning. Journal of college science teaching, 37(6), 21-25.

 

Gregory, K. & Steelman, J. (2008). Cresting the digital divide. Community college journal of research and practice, 32, 880-882.

References

Jenkins, M. & Lonsdale, J. (2007). Evaluating the effectiveness of digital storytelling for student reflection. Proceedings from ascilite Singapore 2007, ICT: Providing choices for learners and learning. Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

 

Johnson, L., Adams, S., & Haywood, K. (2011). The NMC horizon report: 2011 K-12 edition. Austin, TX: The New Media Consortium.

 

Kajder, S. (2004). Enter here: Personal narrative and digital storytelling. The English journal, 93(3), 64-68.

 

Kiraz, E. & Ozdemir, D. (2006). The relationship between educational ideologies and technology acceptance in pre-service teachers. Educational technology & society, 9(2), 152-165.

 

Koch, A., Heo, M. & Kush, J. (2012). Technology integration into pre-service teacher training. International journal of information and communication technology education, 8(1), 1-14.

 

Legal music for videos (n.d.). Creative commons website. Retrieved from http://creativecommons.org/legalmusicforvideos

 

Mishra, P. & Koehler, M. (2005). What happens when teachers design educational technology? The development of technological pedagogical content knowledge. Journal of educational computing research, 32(2), 131-152.

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

References

Partnership for 21st century skills website (n.d.). Retrieved from http://p21.org/

 

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M. & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

 

Robin, B. (2008). Digital storytelling: A Powerful technology tool for the 21st century classroom. In Theory into practice (pp. 220-228). Columbus, OH: The College of Education and Human Ecology, The Ohio State University.

 

Robin, B. (2011). The educational uses of digital storytelling website. Retrieved from http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu

 

Rossiter, M. &Garcia, P. (2010). Digital storytelling: A new player on the narrative field. Special Issue: Narrative perspectives on adult education. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 126, 37-48

 

Sadik, A. (2008). Digital storytelling: A meaningful technology-integrated approach for engaged student learning. Educational technology research and development, 56(4), 487-506.

 

References

Sandars, J. &Murray, C. (2009). Digital storytelling for reflection in undergraduate medical education: A pilot study. Education for primary care, 20, 441-444.

 

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

 

Sylvester, R. & Greenidge, W. (2009). Digital storytelling: Extending the potential for struggling writers. The reading teacher, 63(4), 284-295.

 

Teo, T. (2009). Modeling technology acceptance in education: A study of pre-service teachers. Computers in education, 52(2), 302-312.