Developing Pedagogical Content Knowledge: Lessons Learned from Intervention Studies

Abstract

Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is generally accepted as positively impacting teaching quality and student learning. Therefore, research on PCK development in (prospective) teachers is highly relevant. Based on a search in three databases (ERIC, PsycInfo, and Web of Science), a systematic review is conducted on intervention studies aiming at PCK development. The research questions are threefold: (1) How are the studies designed? (2) How are the interventions designed? and (3) What elements of interventions contribute to PCK development? The results show that most intervention studies are conducted in math and science education and use a qualitative methodology. Reflection, PCK courses, contact with other teachers, and experiences in educational practice are typically part of effective interventions. The review enables the identification of clear guidelines that may strengthen future research on stimulating PCK.

TPACK in teacher education: are we preparing teachers to use technology for early literacy?

“…Although research on the effectiveness of interventions for developing teacher TPACK is limited to date, helpful starting points could be gleaned from the longer-standing body of research on PCK. In a recent review study, Evens, Elen, and Depaepe (2015) found that effective interventions for developing teachers' PCK often feature the following components: reflection, PCK courses, contact with other teachers, and experiences in educational practice. Given that the pre-service teacher educators prioritised pre-service teacher learning about the pedagogical uses of technology, this may be the most appropriate focus for reflection and redesign of teacher education courses, at least with first-and second-year students.…”

Learning to Teach Writing : Developing Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Teaching Writing During the Teacher Education Programme and in the Profession

“…Hittills har denna forskning till övervägande del handlat om den ämnesdidaktiska kunskap som behövs inom naturvetenskaps-och matematikundervisning. Endast en mycket liten andel handlar om andra ämnesområden (Evens et al 2015:3, Hashweh 2013. Begreppet ämnesdidaktisk kunskap har dock mycket att tillföra analysen av blivande och verksamma lärares kunskap om undervisning inom alla ämnesområden.…”

“…• kollegialt samarbete Av dessa källor anger många forskare (exempelvis Borko & Livingston 1989;Evens et al 2015;Korthagen et al 2006;Nilsson 2008a) undervisningserfarenhet, reflektion över undervisning och samarbete med andra lärare som särskilt gynnsamma för ämnesdidaktisk kunskapsbildning. Med andra ord betonas värdet av praktiknära erfarenhet snarare än teori, vilket har betydelse för blivande lärares möjlighet att utveckla ämnesdidaktisk kunskap i lärarutbildningen.…”

“…Flera forskare (bl.a. Grossman 1990, Evens et al 2015, Knutas 2008, Nilsson 2008b, Shulman 1987 betonar värdet av undervisningserfarenhet för utvecklingen av ämnesdidaktisk kunskap. När det gäller skrivdidaktisk kunskapsbildning för de nya gymnasielärare i svenska som ingår i denna studie tycks det vara det skrivutvecklande arbetet i den elevnära verksamheten som blir det mest avgörande.…”

“Careful, Now You Are both the Learner and the Teacher!”: Student Teachers’ Evaluation of Inquiry-Based Peer Lecturing as a Tool in Teacher Training

“…After Shulman's (1986) seminal call for a more significant inclusion of subject matter knowledge in teacher training programs, the next generation of researchers in the science teaching field expressed a concern about the abundance of training programs which do reinforce disciplinary knowledge, but without transforming it into pedagogical content knowledge (Poulson, 2001). Up to the present, efforts for adequately relating SMK and PCK are the core of a variety of teacher training programs which offer the students many possibilities to develop self-regulation in learning to teach and in teaching (Evens, Elen, & Depaepe, 2015).…”