TPACK and Stellarium!

This week I learned that TPACK is a combination of technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge. Content knowledge is when the subject being taught in class is really well-known by the teacher (for example, a college physics professor would have a very large content knowledge). Pedagogical knowledge is the knowledge and skills of how best to teach the content knowledge. So those teachers who were really good at helping you understand the material have wonderful pedagogical knowledge. Finally, technological knowledge is using technology to enhance the learning of the content or material.

When I was in high school I had teachers who were examples of all three of these knowledges. My math teacher was REALLY smart and he had an amazing understanding of algebra II and Pre-calc. He understood the ins and outs of math like no one else I know. In other words, he had great content knowledge. And he also had wonderful technological knowledge because he used technology to teach us how to use IT-83 calculators. But he did not have the full TPACK because his pedagogical knowledge was terrible. He would stand at the front of the classroom with his back to the class writing endless notes and explaining them in a monotone voice. He was not at all skilled in helping us better understand the content in ways that would reach all different learning styles. Usually I fell asleep during class (bored out of my mind), and then tried to decipher the scribbles I had made from the notes I had taken while half asleep.
On the other hand, my US history teacher had the complete TPACK: he knew his history (content), he used technology to play songs into our classroom which were about the history we were learning (technological), and he had some amazing skills in helping us understand the material and making it apply to our own lives (pedagogical).

For the science technology project, I am planning on using Stellarium. I think it is an amazing program and I wish I had know about it sooner! It would have been so helpful for Physical Science 110 A and B. I am excited to explore it more. Also, I think we might use google earth and sky as well. I think these programs will be great for helping children collect their own data about the orbits of the earth and moon.