Learning progressions are the successively more sophisticated ways of thinking about an idea that follow one another over a broad span of time. This review examines the research on science teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in order to refine ideas about science teacher learning progressions and how to support them. Research published between 1986 and 2010 relevant to science teacher learning and PCK was examined for what ways teachers’ knowledge becomes more developed and what appears to be the sequence. Analysis indicates that it is helpful for teachers to think about learners first, then to focus on teaching, and points out the essential role of reflection for teachers to rearrange their ideas in ways that develop their PCK. This review takes a unique approach to thinking about research on what science teachers learn and can support teacher educators in designing professional programs that support beginning and advanced learning for science teachers.

Science Teacher Learning Progressions A Review of Science Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge Development

In this position paper, we examine the science teaching orientation component of the S. Magnusson, J. Krajcik, and H. Borko (1999) pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) model for science teaching. We trace the origin of the construct in the literature, identifying multiple definitions that have lead to ambiguity. After examining published studies using the PCK model, we identified the following methodological issues: (a) using orientations in different or unclear ways, (b) unclear or absent relationship between orientations and the other model components, (c) simply assigning teachers to one of nine categories of orientations, and (d) ignoring the overarching orientation component. To bring clarity to the literature, we propose defining science teaching orientations as a set of beliefs with the following dimensions: goals and purposes of science teaching, views of science, and beliefs about science teaching and learning. Consequently, there is a need for new instruments to elicit these dimensions. We conclude by making recommendations to address the four issues identified in the literature. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed95:358–376, 2011

Taking a Closer Look at Science Teaching Orientations.

Teaching as a science.

This chapter presents a systematic review of the science education literature to identify how researchers investigate science teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Specifically, we focus on empirical studies of individual science teachers’ PCK published in peer-reviewed science education and teacher education journals since 2008. For each of the reviewed studies, we identify (1) the research context of the investigation; (2) the major purpose of the study; (3) the conceptualisation of PCK in the study; (4) the data sources used to investigate teachers’ PCK; and (5) the approaches used to determine teachers’ PCK. Using this collated information, we provide an overview of how the PCK concept is used, interpreted and investigated within the science education community. The review reveals that researchers conceptualise and operationalise PCK differently. Consequently, they investigate PCK in highly diverse ways and use a wide range of data sources and approaches to capture and determine teachers’ PCK, which in turn generates different kinds of qualitative and quantitative data. Collectively, our findings reveal gaps in the PCK literature and highlight several points of divergence in thinking around the PCK concept within the PCK research community in the field of science education. The findings also provide evidence from the literature supporting the need to build upon and further refine the Consensus Model (CM) that emerged from the first (1st) PCK Summit in 2012 to further science education research.

Towards a Consensus Model: Literature Review of How Science Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge Is Investigated in Empirical Studies

The aim of the present research was to investigate the effect of the amount and quality of content knowledge on pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The chemical content of phases of matters was used as an example. The research sample consisted of 28 science student teachers. The lesson preparation task, content knowledge test and semi-structured interview were used to collect data. This study shows that science student teachers have basic knowledge, few misconceptions and certain inadequacies at conceptual level. Science student teachers had understanding difficulties about relationship between concepts affected by their previous experiences. It has been seen that most student teachers had consistent content knowledge. The results of this study emphasize that content knowledge had positive influence on pedagogical content knowledge. Content knowledge also influenced effective teaching practice.

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The Effect of Content Knowledge on Pedagogical Content Knowledge: The Case of Teaching Phases of Matters

The aim of the research was to investigate the effect of the amount and quality of content knowledge on pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The biological content photosynthesis and plant growth was used as an example. The research sample consisted of 10 primary and 10 secondary (biology) teacher students. Questionnaires, lesson preparation task and an interview were used to collect data. Primary student‐teachers’ were not aware of students’ conceptual difficulties and had problems in choosing the most important content. Neither of the groups had knowledge on suitable experiments and demonstrations, which indicates that PCK should be explicitly taught. The usefulness of PCK and some related constructs in initial teacher training is discussed.

https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00516231/document

The influence of content knowledge on pedagogical content knowledge ? the case of teaching photosynthesis and plant growth

This study is concerned with student teachers conceptions about teaching the topic of electrolysis and difficulties they encounter. The aim of the study was also to find out how the student teachers understand the meaning of a key demonstration that would show the main features of the phenomenon. During this study eight chemistry student teachers were invited to write a lesson plan on the topic of electrolysis for lower secondary level, grade 8 pupils (age 14 to 15). The written lesson plans and the semi-structured interviews were collected and analysed by using a set of analytical categories. Only two of the eight student teachers had a clear view that electrolysis is a process where an electric current drives the reaction in a non-spontaneous direction. The role of the key demonstration was rather to attract interest than to activate thinking. Furthermore, the student teachers had difficulties to connect the previously taught concepts to electrolysis to form an integrated whole. The student teachers were concerned about their subject knowledge and they expressed their need to read more about the subject in order to be able to teach it properly, but only one was particularly worried whether her pupils would learn this topic. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract. Eur.: 2002, 3, 317-326]

Student teachers' problems in teaching 'electrolysis' with a key demonstration

/pdf/understanding-the-context-of-teacher-professionalism-in-5ahe7n483j.pdf

Tuula Asunta

Papers

The influence of content knowledge on pedagogical content knowledge ? the case of teaching photosynthesis and plant growth

Student teachers' problems in teaching 'electrolysis' with a key demonstration

Understanding the Context of Teacher Professionalism in Education Systems Undergoing Transition – Kosovo Case