This week we learned about some models of the use of technology in the classroom.
TPACK is an acronym for technological, pedagogical and content knowledge. It represents the intersection of those areas of knowledge, and is the domain in which technology can benefit instruction. It seems likely that as technology and especially as software constantly develop, content and pedagogy will be the more stable parts of the triad. That means they are the most crucial, but it also means that making effective use of technology will require keeping up to date on new tech and use-cases.
There is also the model in which learning outcomes shape teaching-learning strategies and methods of assessment, while the latter two also influence one another and are where technology is found.
Finally there is SAMR. Another acronym, this one standing for substitution, augmentation, modification, and redefinition. It represents the different levels of technology use in the classroom.
The current BC math curriculum includes the use of technology in a way that is at the very least augmentation. For example, using graphing software to explore functions and geometry. In my methodology course I am seeing examples of how this can be implemented in lesson plans and lead to deep understanding. Importantly, it seems that manipulating things in software can be totally analogous to using physical manipulatives, for learners.