Abstract
In order for out-of-school science activities that take place during school hours but outside the school context to be successful, instructors must have sufficient pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) to guarantee high-quality teaching and learning. We argue that PCK is a quality of the instructor-pupil system that is constructed in real-time interaction. When PCK is evident in real-time interaction, we define it as Expressed Pedagogical Content Knowledge (EPCK). The aim of this study is to empirically explore whether EPCK shows a systematic pattern of variation, and if so whether the pattern occurs in recurrent and temporary stable attractor states as predicted in the complex dynamic systems theory. This study concerned nine out-of-school activities in which pupils of upper primary school classes participated. A multivariate coding scheme was used to capture EPCK in real time. A principal component analysis of the time series of all the variables reduced the number of components. A cluster revealed general descriptions of the components across all cases. Cluster analyses of individual cases divided the time series into sequences, revealing High-, Low-, and Non-EPCK states. High-EPCK attractor states emerged at particular moments during activities, rather than being present all the time. Such High-EPCK attractor states were only found in a few cases, namely those where the pupils were prepared for the visit and the instructors were trained.
Highlights
A Microgenetic View on Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Out-of-School Teaching and LearningOut-of-school environments, such as museums, parks, science centers, planetariums, zoos, are highly valued resources for learning about science (Griffin, 2004)
In this article we argue that the expression of Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) is first and foremost a dynamically emerging phenomenon that is co-constructed during real-time interaction between teacher and pupils
In this study we present an alternative way of exploring Expressed Pedagogical Content Knowledge (EPCK): adopting a microgenetic approach (Flynn et al, 2007) that is inspired by a complex dynamic systems (CDS) point of view and applying it to out-of-school science education
Summary
Out-of-school environments, such as museums, parks, science centers, planetariums, zoos, are highly valued resources for learning about science (Griffin, 2004). In such environments, science education usually occurs under the guidance of an instructor (Salmi, 2012) and comprises activities that are authentic, realistic, meaningful and free to choose. Tran (2006), for instance, showed that the educational goals of museum instructors are more focused on pupils’ interest and excitement than on the aspect of cognitive. Attractor States in Out-of-School Education learning, in contrast with teachers, whose educational goals are to a considerable extent determined by the fact that, as teachers, they are accountable for academic learning. The pedagogy of out-of-school science practices, e.g., ways of giving instruction and how they relate to pupils’ level of cognitive learning, has scantly been investigated
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