PART B - Application of TPACK

TPACK and Google Earth Tour

Pedagogy

I am excited that this assignment will encompass many different teaching methods.  It will be a Project Based Learning activity which will involve real world connections, collaboration and high levels of engagement.  Students will be making real world connections as they get to actually "see" the plate boundaries and how they effect the Earth and United States.  They will actually get to connect plate boundaries to earthquakes and volcanoes and see how they are tied together.  Students will be working in partners to create their virtual tour so they will be collaborating as well as taking the tours that their other classmates create.  What I like most will be the high levels of engagement.  Instead of me just showing them locations on a map in my classroom or on Google Earth they will actually be using Google Earth to explore plate boundaries, earthquakes, volcanoes and other Earths formations.  This higher level of engagement should correlate to increased levels of students achievement.

Technology

Students love Google Earth. Why? So they can zoom in on their houses or friends houses. Zoom in on their schools or other locations but they really do not understand the full capabilities.  Students will be making a tour on Google Earth and be able to experience the full capabilities of Google Earth.  They will use technology to record their voice.  Using Google Earth allows students higher levels of engagement, it creates inquiry as instead of my giving them a list of the volcano and earthquake locations they will have to find them.  Instead of me telling them why they are there they will need to figure that out so there will be some problem solving involved. Using Google Earth to make a tour will create higher levels of engagement, inquiry and problem solving.  

Content

The subject matter of plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes is one students usually have an interest in.  They find the idea of earthquakes and volcanoes fascinating but also something that is hard to grasp due to not being able to demonstrate or show them.  They are concepts that they feel disconnected from due to never having experience with them.  Ultimately creating the tour in Google Earth will connect them to the earthquake hot spots around the world and past major events.  It will take them to the active volcanoes on the Earth and past major volcanic activity.  It will also expose them to other major land features created by plate boundaries.  The student will virtually get to visit locations and see how they are ties to plate boundaries.  On the tour they create they will tell something about each location so they will need to research about those locations.  They will also explain how the earthquake or volcanoes are connected to the plate  boundary in that area, type of plate boundary and type of earthquake or volcano.  

TPACK

I feel that this unit provides a great combination of Pedagogy, Technology and Content so as to hit the TPACK sweet spot.  This activity provides 21st century learning focused on essential learning's and skills supported by technology.