Revisiting the conceptualisation of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) : PCK as a conceptual tool to understand teachers as professionals

The purpose of this study was to rethink the conceptualisation of pedagogical content knowledge based on the authors' descriptive research findings and to show how this new conceptualisation held us to understand teachers as professionals. This study was a multiple case study grounded in a soci...

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Published inResearch in science education (Australasian Science Education Research Association) Vol. 38; no. 3; pp. 261 - 284
Main Authors Park, Soonhye, Oliver, J. Steve
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.05.2008
Springer
Subjects
Case Studies
Chemistry
Constructivism (Learning)
Education
Knowledge Base for Teaching
Knowledge level
Misconceptions
Pedagogical Content Knowledge
Professionalism
Reflective practice
Reflective Teaching
Research Methodology
Science Education
Science teachers
Science teaching
Secondary education
Secondary school science
Secondary school teachers
Social constructivism
Student teacher relationship
Teacher characteristics
Teacher Effectiveness
Teaching Methods
Teaching process
United States
Pedagogical content knowledge
Knowledge for teaching
Knowledge of student understanding
Reflection in/on action
Teacher professionalism
Teacher efficacy
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Summary:The purpose of this study was to rethink the conceptualisation of pedagogical content knowledge based on the authors' descriptive research findings and to show how this new conceptualisation held us to understand teachers as professionals. This study was a multiple case study grounded in a social constructivist framework. Data were collected from multiple courses and analysed using three approaches: (a) constant comparative method; (b) enumerative approach; and (c) in-depth analysis of explicit PCK. The results indicated that (a) PCK was developed through reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action within given instructional contexts; (b) teacher efficacy emerged as an affective affiliate of PCK; (c) students had an important impact on PCK development; (d) students' misconceptions played a significant role in shaping PCK; and (e) PCK was idiosyncratic in some aspects of its enactment. Discussion centres on how these five aspects are related to teacher professionalism. [Author abstract]
Bibliography:Refereed article. Includes bibliographical references.
Research in Science Education; v.38 n.3 p.261-284; May 2008
ISSN:0157-244X
1573-1898
DOI:10.1007/s11165-007-9049-6