Lessons from an Integrative Review of Special Education Research on Pedagogical Content Knowledge in South Korea

Abstract

ABSTRACT The primary purpose of this study was to synthesise the current research related to special education teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Inclusion and exclusion criteria yielded a total of 13 studies, six of those using a qualitative approach and seven of those using a quantitative approach, and all the studies were from research conducted in South Korea. Findings were presented in terms of a general overview of the selected studies, eight methods and measures of assessing PCK of special education teachers (i.e. survey, text, questionnaire, interview, lesson observations, meeting observations, document analysis, and concept mapping), and eight components of PCK (e.g. knowledge of students’ (mis)conceptions/difficulties, knowledge of instructional strategies, knowledge of content-related tasks and cognitive demands, knowledge of educational ends, knowledge of curriculum and media, context knowledge, content knowledge, and pedagogical knowledge). Based on the findings, lessons learned from the current status of PCK research in the field of special education in South Korea and ways to strengthen research and practice for special education teachers’ PCK will be discussed.