Understanding the Development of Chinese EFL Student–Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge

Abstract

Efforts to improve student–teacher education have recently focused on developing adequate Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) as a critical element for effective preparation. Despite many initiatives implemented in teacher education programs, however, their effectiveness in developing student–teachers’ PCK and factors affecting the PCK development are under-researched and evidenced. Drawing upon theories about and research on PCK, this study examined whether a recently updated 2-year teacher education program could develop student–teachers’ PCK effectively and explored what factors influencing the PCK development of student–teachers with different developmental trajectories. Forty English-as-foreign-language (EFL) student–teachers on the program were involved as participants. This study employed a longitudinal research design. Data were collected at four different stages along with the program through the content representation matrix, interviews with all the participants, and focus group interviews with four particularly sampled participants. Findings revealed that the current teacher education program successfully enhanced student–teachers’ PCK and the factors influencing different PCK developmental trajectories were varied and personalized. Implications for teacher education are also discussed.

How EFL Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) Grows Through Collaborative Learning: A Review Based on The Interconnected Model of Professional Growth (IMPG)

“…According to Shariatifar et al (2017), there are three types of PCK knowledge: knowledge of teaching and assessing the components of the curriculum, knowledge of developing, planning, and managing language teaching, and knowledge of developing and evaluating instructional materials. In the study of Li et al (2021), researchers collected data on PCK knowledge in four components: knowledge of curriculum, knowledge of learners, knowledge of instructional strategies, and knowledge of assessment. The catalogs of PCK might differ in Shariatifar et al 's (2017) study and Li et al' (2021), yet they all emphasize the knowledge of the practical application of teaching approaches combined with theoretical knowledge: the combination of theory and practice.…”

“…In the study of Li et al (2021), researchers collected data on PCK knowledge in four components: knowledge of curriculum, knowledge of learners, knowledge of instructional strategies, and knowledge of assessment. The catalogs of PCK might differ in Shariatifar et al 's (2017) study and Li et al' (2021), yet they all emphasize the knowledge of the practical application of teaching approaches combined with theoretical knowledge: the combination of theory and practice. In 2009, Koehler and Mishra put forward a new framework called Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) based on Shulman's (1986b) PCK theory.…”

“…The study found out that EFL teachers' PCK growth is often promoted by reforms and changes. In another study, Li et al (2021) invited forty Chinese EFL teachers to participate in a two-year teacher education program in longitudinal research. The results demonstrated that EFL teacher education programs could offer these teachers opportunities for PCK development, and some factors, such as welldesigned courses and a professional learning community, could influence their PCK developmental trajectories.…”

“…Moreover, for each PCK component (knowledge of curriculum, knowledge of learners, knowledge of instructional strategies, and knowledge of assessment), the growth patterns appear to be distinctive (Li et al, 2021;Wongsopawiro et al, 2017). Wongsopawiro et al (2017) attempted to categorize the pathways that led to changes in PCK according to IMPG and found that the different PCK growth pathways could form a complex "growth network" (p. 206).…”

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Since Shulman (1986b) argued that pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) should be a significant indicator of teacher knowledge for quality teaching, PCK has received enormous attention from researchers in the teacher education field. Nevertheless, little empirical and theoretical attention has been given to English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' PCK growth in teachers' collaborative learning activities (Li et al, 2021). In practice, collaborative learning groups for EFL teachers are often adopted as an effective teacher learning activity as it always integrates observations and discussions of real EFL teaching practices such as English teaching pedagogies and subject matters, for example.

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