Abstract
This paper explores the influence of Science Teaching Orientations (STOs) on Teacher Professional Knowledge (TPK) domains of five in-service Malawian secondary school science teachers. The study was grounded within Friedrichsten et al.’s (2011) definition of STOs and Gess-Newsome’s (2015) conceptualization of TPK. We gathered data using semi-structured interviews on the two dimensions of STOs: goals and purposes of science teaching, and beliefs about science teaching and learning. We used a questionnaire to gather data on the third dimension—Nature of Science (NoS). To understand the influence of STOs on TPK domains, we used data that we collected through classroom observations. The classroom observations were analysed inductively then deductively against the STOs dimensions and TPK domains. Results show that the first two dimensions of STOs influenced some TPK domains. There was no influence of the NOS on TPK domains. Although the teachers had correct views about the NOS, the lack of influence between the NOS and TPK domains raises questions about their Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) for the NOS. We discuss the implications of the findings on teacher education and in-service science teacher professional development.
Highlights
One of the objectives of teaching science at secondary school level in Malawi is to inculcate various skills critical in the learning of science such as reasoning and problem-solving skills (Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, 2013)
This paper explores the influence of Science Teaching Orientations (STOs) on Teacher Professional Knowledge (TPK) domains of five in-service Malawian secondary school science teachers
While TPK is a knowledge base where teachers tap from when they are planning about teaching, Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) on the other hand is defined as “both a knowledge base used in planning and delivery of a topic in very specific classroom context and as a skill when involved in the act of teaching” (Gess-Newsome, 2015, pp 30-31)
Summary
One of the objectives of teaching science at secondary school level in Malawi is to inculcate various skills critical in the learning of science such as reasoning and problem-solving skills (Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, 2013). The argument is that poor Teacher Professional Knowledge (TPK) is a major contributing factor. This knowledge is tacit but manifests in the classroom through Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) (Carlson & Daehler, 2019). While TPK is a knowledge base where teachers tap from when they are planning about teaching, PCK on the other hand is defined as “both a knowledge base used in planning and delivery of a topic in very specific classroom context and as a skill when involved in the act of teaching” (Gess-Newsome, 2015, pp 30-31). PCK is central in that it helps teachers to transform the content knowledge into teachable units (Gess-Newsome et al, 2017; Shulman, 1987)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
