Exploring Science Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge

Abstract

In this keynote, the development of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) within (prospective) science teachers is explored and discussed. First of all, the meaning of the term ‘pedagogical content knowledge’ is examined and some core elements of this concept are described. Secondly, several methods and techniques to explore PCK are reported. Thirdly, important sources for the development of PCK are described. Finally, a naturalistic case study of the development of PCK within a group of prospective science teachers (all M. Sc.) is presented. The group has taken a post-graduate course module, incl. some teaching practice, on a central issue in science education: teaching models. The results indicate that the prospective teachers’ knowledge of students’ conceptions of models was promoted. Besides, the prospective teachers became aware of their own limited knowledge of appropriate models, and ways to teach this issue. This absence of this knowledge can have caused the observed discrepancy between their teaching intentions (models as constructs) and their teaching practice (models as facts). Implications for (prospective) science teacher courses are discussed.