Moving Beyond Pockets of Excellence: Understanding High-Quality Use

In my previous blog post I shared strategies for speeding up your technology adoption, an objective so many educators and education technology leaders share. Having a speedy adoption is fantastic, provided it results in high-quality use!

To understand what high-quality use looks like, I often refer to the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, which describes how practicing teachers teach effectively with technology “….the ability to interconnect content with high-yield instructional strategies and having enough technology knowledge to determine how best to integrate it within that context.”

The “interconnecting” piece is key, and it’s important to note that not everyone can make these connections on their own Just because someone is strong with their content and their pedagogical and technological knowledge doesn’t mean they will be able to interconnect all three. Education technology users often need others to model and provide subject- and grade-relevant examples and ideas that demonstrate this interconnection.

This is why Professional Learning Communities (PLC’s) and content repositories like the SMART Exchange are critical components of a professional learning plan. TPACK also reminds us to spend time developing our knowledge in all three areas rather than focusing our attention on just one or two. It’s unfortunate that teachers with strong technology skills often get praise and attention, while those with strong content-pedagogy skills often feel passed over. By prioritizing content and pedagogical skills alongside technological ones, schools and districts will establish an environment conducive to effective technology use.

Knowing what high-quality use looks like is the first step in the process of achieving it. In my next post, we’ll look at strategies for defining a path to get there.