Designing with and for Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge: The Evolution of GeoThentic
Abstract: How should a K-12 geography teacher use a geospatial technology such as Google Earth in the classroom? Should they have students pinpoint a series of locations and measure the connecting distances, essentially using the technology as a mere digital representation of the traditional globe? Or, should they encourage learners to harness the powerful data-driven affordances of the technology to make and justify decisions on contemporary issues (for example, where to build a hospital in downtown San Francisco based on factors of seismic activity and population density)? We believe it is the latter scenario – this is the foundation of GeoThentic. However, there is a necessary level of technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge that an instructor must develop in order to apply this scenario successfully in the classroom.