Curriculum Structure and its Influence on Content Knowledge of Economics Student Teachers

Abstract

This study explored how the curriculum structure of the Bachelor of Education in economics teaching qualification at one South African university impacts on content knowledge of economics student teachers. Document analysis was undertaken on the university’s Faculty of Education prospectus. Due to meetings restrictions during lockdown, email focus group interviews were conducted. Ten fourth year economics student teachers participated in the study. The study adopted social transformation theory as a theoretical framework. Data was thematically analysed. Data revealed that economics student teachers study the subject content that is meant for economists and other economics related careers. The subject content that is not relevant to school curriculum economics negatively affects content knowledge needed during work-integrated learning and in in their teaching career. For this reason, the curriculum is unfairly structured. To strengthen the content knowledge of economics student teachers, the study recommends that a relationship between economics content in academic major modules and school curriculum economics content be formed. Secondly, economics academic major modules should expose economics student teachers to an introduction in economics content as a way of advancing their subject content knowledge but the focus should be more on school curriculum economics content.