Pedagogy trumps Technology - again!

Figure 1

In my own teaching practice, I’ve used Koehler and Mishra’s TPACK framework as a basis to examine and question my own teaching, as well as providing a graphic for my students to help contextualize their experience in my course (figure 1). 

I’ve held for some time now that, at least for me, Pedagogy is the biggest, most important piece of the framework, with Technology and Content trailing in a tie for second place.  In other words, knowing how to engage students in the process of learning (the core of effective pedagogy) is more important than what technologies you bring to bear when teaching them, and also more important than the content of the material (figure 2).

Figure 2

Reading through “Deep Work”, which analyzes ways in which going deep and working for long periods of time without distraction on complex, difficult cognitive tasks (something we educational researchers and academics are wont to do) can help increase both the quality and quantity of our work (yay, publish or perish!), it occurred to me: are we missing the metaphorical boat in this regard with youth?

It’s no surprise that with the rate of change we’re experiencing due, in part, to technology’s influence on society, that we really have very little idea of where we’re heading economically.  I don’t mean this is terms of “up or down”, but rather, in the sense that we don’t have a crystal ball to peer into the future and know what job skills, or even what sorts of products or markets will be the next big thing.  Adding to this conundrum is that with technology moving so fast, learning a specific skill today means it might be completely useless within a few years – and tech-related skills are difficult and complex (go ahead and try to intuitively divine how to use Photoshop, if you want but one example).  If teaching K-12 kids tech skills is likely a dead end, educationally and pragmatically speaking, what can we do?  Maybe part of that answer is to teach them about deep learning and deep work?

Certainly, there are cognitive development limits on what young kids can do in this regard; the younger they are, the less true it is that they’re just short adults.  Nonetheless, if the move into a knowledge economy is one that schools are to address, then the inclusion of a deep learning ethic seems to be sensible since it helps learners learn best how to learn.

Youtube and ethnorelativism

In one of the courses I teach, we talk about the Intercultural Competence spectrum, which moves from complete ethnocentrism, (i.e., denial that any differences exist between cultures) through ethnorelativism (i.e., integration of other cultures into our own views) with several steps in between.  (Bennett, 2004)  The spectrum looks like this:

In this particular class, I have my students read the article, and then place themselves on the spectrum and justify why they chose that spot.  It requires openness and honesty on their part, and the creation of a safe environment on my part.  It's a wonderful class, and probably my favorite of the 15 individual classes in the course.

A modification of the class that I introduced a year ago was the inclusion of two videos:




Recently, one of my students was talking about how watching Ramaj's video helped to deepen her understanding of what the African American and Black experience in this country is about.   It got me wondering: could one use Youtube, via direct searches since the available information is often highly filtered even when don't see that being done (Meeder, 2005; Sunstein, 2008), in order to be a tool to promote Intercultural Competence?

It would be very interesting to have students conduct a self-preassessment, using Bennett's spectrum to put themselves in a particular spot and justify why.  Then, one could have them find Youtube videos that are challenging and raw - like the ones posted above, and watch or share them.  Following some discussion, possibly in small groups online, students then postassess themselves, using Bennett's spectrum again and talk about why they think the changes experienced happened.


Bennet, M., in Wurzel, J. (Ed.). (2004). Toward multiculturalism: A reader in multicultural
education (2nd ed., pp. 62-77). Newton, MA: Intercultural Resource Corporation.

Meeder, R. (2005). Access denied: Internet filtering software in K-12 classrooms. Tech Trends, 49(6), 56-58,78.

Sunstein, C.R. (2008). Democracy and the internet. In J. Van den Hoven, & J. Weckert, (Eds.), Information technology and moral philosophy (93-110).Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press

Recent questions

I'm working through a presentation as part of my oral exams, and the following is a list of questions that I've brainstormed.  I thought I'd post them here for posterity.  Now, it should be obvious that the question I finally settle on for this presentation, along with the literature review will then drive the theoretical framework for study.  I'm thinking I might actually chase the last one, since it would directly impact my teaching practice (I'm the one teaching the pre-service teacher tech course).

o   How can teachers contribute more to the designs of technology being integrated in their classrooms?

o   Why is it that technologies get slated for use in classrooms, but teachers seem to have little input?

o   What factors lead to better tech integration in a 1-2 classroom?

o   How can grade 1-2 teachers be more effective at technology integration in their classrooms/practice?

o   What do teachers require to be more successful in technology integration at the 1-2 level?

o   What does it look like to design a technology intervention for a 1-2 classroom with a teacher? 

o   In what ways can grade 1-2 teachers integrate technology in order to become more effective in their teaching practice? **(define efficacy here)

o   How does teacher input affect the design of technology being integrated into their classroom?

o   In what ways can direct teacher participation in a design process affect a technological innovation aimed at a 1-2 classroom?

o   How will teacher input affect a technology being integrated in their classroom?

o   Does a pre-service teacher course on integrating technology lead to changes in a teacher’s use of technology once they begin teaching?***

o   How does a course on integrating technology into teaching practice, aimed at pre-service teachers, affect their use of technology once they begin teaching?***