Science, Technology, and Teaching The topic-specific challenges of TPCK in Science

This chapter echoes the theme that has been running through the last several chapters that I have read. Preservice institutions must design their programs to include uses of technology integral to their content courses. It is the author’s premise that then preservice teachers will graduate with a small repertoire of tools and a deep knowledge of the role technology can play in their content area, specifically science.
Other simple statements, made by this author, can be applied to all content areas. His discussion of proposal characteristics for what reasonable and manageable technology knowledge would be for a science teacher is what I believe is reasonable and manageable for all content areas and all grade levels. He proposes that the teacher be a regular computer user that manages and troubleshoots issues in personal use, be willing to approach new technologies with confidence and know where to turn for help, and lastly be willing to try something new. I really agree with this.He makes another statement earlier in the chapter that planning for using a technology for the first time is not unlike planning for any new resource. These two points are the core of developing an attitude that makes for success in TPCK and in many aspects of teaching.
Another point made in this chapter is one I was discussing with my student teacher this morning. Although we were discussing an issue in her Mathematics unit it is applicable to this chapter on Science as well as other content areas. My student teacher wanted to use the Smartboard for a geometry unit. She had borrowed a laptop from school which she had difficulties with when taken off the network. She then ran into one problem after another. I then asked her why she wanted to use the Smartboard. What did it add to her lesson? Did it support the concept being taught in a unique way that helped the children gain a better understanding than traditional materials? Were the children learning from the technology itself? As the conversation developed we discussed that in this case, the technology wasn’t offering significant value to the content being introduced. As the author states teachers need to decide what technology to use and when to use technology.
While much of the chapter reiterated what has been proposed in previous readings I liked this chapter the best so far. The design of how TPCK was organized and the realistic, simplistic way this author explained his points appealed to me. An example is how he concluded with the statement, “ ...we teach teachers as we wish them to teach.” I think this simple statement really says it all.