Teacher Professional Knowledge Research Articles

Developmental paths of teacher professional knowledge in modeling-based teaching: analysis from a longitudinal socio-historical perspective

This study seeks to understand the development of teacher professional knowledge about models and modeling of a Chemistry Education associate professor, experienced and specialized in modeling-based teaching from a longitudinal socio-historical perspective. To do so, we analyzed her statements about her life history in terms of school and academic education, as well as professional practices for the last 18 years. Data were constructed from the transcription of those statements and interpreted according to theoretical-methodological procedures based on both a microgenetic analysis, promoting the decontextualization of contexts, and a macrogenetic analysis, from the recontextualization of contexts. This made it possible to trace her experiences from the student context at the secondary school to the experiences as university professor about to teach a course on models and modeling to a class of future teachers. The data analysis showed that, in her teaching history, various educational situations and contexts involving modeling-based teaching influenced her teacher professional knowledge about models and modeling, as well as how some turning points influenced and took part of the development of such knowledge. This study favors an understanding of the constitution of the subject (the associate professor) as it allows entering into her life contexts in which developmental paths of her teacher professional knowledge were identified and characterized. Furthermore, it contributes to the understanding of how science teachers can develop such knowledge from a longitudinal socio-historical perspective, which may have implications for teachers education.

Digital technologies and mathematics teaching: An analysis of teacher professional knowledge

Professional teaching knowledge interferes with the planning and development of classes, which also relates to integrating digital technologies in the classroom. This study aimed to understand and discuss teachers’ professional knowledge for teaching mathematics with digital technologies. The methodology of this systematic literature review was composed of selecting 42 scientific articles in the ERIC, Latindex, Scopus, Scielo, and Web of Science databases and vertical and horizontal analyses of the indicated studies. The results suggest that the studies have similar structures with similar theoretical frameworks, objectives, and methodological procedures, identifying and classifying teacher professional knowledge based on knowledge achieved or that still needs to be developed. The teachers mobilize their knowledge by recognizing the potential of digital technologies for teaching mathematics critically and reflectively.

Integration of topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge components in secondary school science teachers’ reflections on biology lessons

Teachers’ reflections on their practice are a powerful tool for measuring and supporting their professional knowledge. Pedagogical content knowledge is one of the most influential domains of teacher professional knowledge. This multiple-case study investigated the topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge (TSPCK) components that Zambian secondary school science teachers integrate when reflecting on biology lessons. Three teachers from the same school were observed teaching a biology lesson and attended post-observation interviews. Data were mainly collected through lesson plans, lesson observation field notes and post-observation interviews. The data were analysed using in-depth analysis of explicit TSPCK, enumerative and constant comparative approaches. TSPCK maps were constructed to illustrate each teachers’ integration of TSPCK components. The results revealed four features about the integration of TSPCK components: (a) None of the teachers depended solely on a single TSPCK component as they integrated other components (b) The components curricular saliency, students’ prior knowledge and misconceptions, and conceptual teaching strategies were central in the TSPCK maps of all the teachers, while representations and analogies, and what make the topic easy/difficult to teach/learn were least integrated (c) All teachers had different pairs of reciprocal connections among TSPCK components, and (d) All teachers had different pairs of most integrated components. The implications of these findings for science and teacher education research were presented and discussed. It was concluded that teachers’ reflections revealed the integration between TSPCK components and showed them differently. The study recommends investigating teachers’ reflections over several lessons and tracking any changes in their TSPCK integration.

The behavioral mechanism of Chinese college teachers' teaching engagement: A qualitative study based on the grounded theory

AbstractConsidering the vital role of college teachers' teaching engagement in guaranteeing the quality of higher education, this study aimed to reveal the behavioral mechanism of Chinese college teachers' teaching engagement through qualitative study based on the grounded theory. It is found that the behavior of Chinese college teachers' teaching engagement is the result of the corresponding intention, which is affected by the three factors of the teaching engagement values, the perceived expectations from the significant others, and the professional knowledge and ability to teach through different ways of interaction. According to the findings, the teaching engagement of college teachers needs to be promoted from three paths: improve teachers' satisfaction of values demands in teaching engagement, reform policy regimes to create a cultural atmosphere that emphasizes teaching engagement, and enhance teachers' professional knowledge and ability of teaching.

Enhancing Empathy for Justice: A Methodology for Expansive Teacher Professional Development through Creative Body-Based Learning

This paper reports from a design-based research project seeking to reduce bullying, and so, contribute to the sustainability goal of improving (understanding of) justice. Goals such as this call for holistic and interdisciplinary ways of thinking that are quite at odds with the linear and reductionist epistemologies available with globally dominant ‘neoliberal’ discourses on education and educational decision making. To achieve goals such as improving justice, sustainable education and educators must explore and champion expansive ways of knowing that acknowledge and celebrate the complexity of everyday learning contexts. Responding to this need, this paper presents a case study of how we, as a group of educational designers and teacher educators, have explored how the arts-based pedagogy known as Creative Body-Based-Learning, when coupled with Engeström’s expansive theory of learning, can provide an alternative structure and methodology for teacher professional knowledge production. The paper will also outline the use of the research methodology of computer-aided phenomenography as a means of evaluating this kind of complex learning where simple testing and self-reporting are typically inadequate.

Investigating the Relationship between Pre-service Social Studies Teachers Professional Knowledge and Motivational Orientation in Nigerian Universities

This research examines the relationship between the professional knowledge and motivational orientation of prospective Social Studies educators in South-South Nigerian public universities. Employing a survey design, the study encompasses a population of 866 pre-service Social Studies teachers across state and federal universities within the South-South geopolitical zone. A sample of 446 participants was drawn from the population. Data collection involved an achievement test measuring content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge, alongside a "Social Studies Pre-Service Teachers’ Motivational Orientation Questionnaire" comprising self-efficacy and interest sections. Descriptive statistics including mean and standard deviation addressed the research questions raised in the study, while the hypothesis formulated was analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (r). Results unveiled a moderate, significantly positive correlation between professional knowledge and motivational orientation among pre-service Social Studies teachers. As an implication, the study underscores the potential predictive utility of professional knowledge in determining motivational orientation. This study makes significant contributions to the existing body of knowledge. One key finding is that pre-service Social Studies teachers in universities located in South-South Nigeria exhibit both high levels of professional knowledge and a strong motivational orientation. Furthermore, the study aligns with prior research by confirming a notable correlation between professional knowledge and motivational orientation.

LIMITATIONS OF INNOVATIVE TALENTS TRAINING MODEL IN CULTURAL AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES OF UNIVERSITIES

At present, China’s universities have a common problem in the training model of creative and innovative talents. This is a manifestation of the lagging behind in the training model and the theoretical system for cultivating cultural and creative industries and the construction of professional disciplines. Universities should respond to the national 13th Five-Year Plan. The policy of the conference, the "Internet +" plan, focuses on cultivating innovative talents in the cultural and creative industries. To meet the service output of cultural and creative professionals to society, universities have different levels of cultural and creative industry development and different starting points, which can be said to be uneven the level of teachers is limited, the professional knowledge of teachers is single, the knowledge system is backward, and they are unable to keep up with the development of the cultural and creative industries. Many universities are not sensitive enough to respond to the market. As a result, the students majoring in artistic and creative fields cannot meet the market's needs, and their ability to serve the market by exporting talents is insufficient.

TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE APPLICATION PRACTICES AND STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KAKAMEGA NORTH SUB-COUNTY, KENYA

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of teachers' professional knowledge application practices on students' academic performance in public secondary schools in Kakamega North sub-county, Kenya. The study was guided by the Goal setting theory. A descriptive survey research design was utilized. The target population was 772 persons comprising of 723 teachers, 49 principals, and 49 deputy principals from Kakamega North's public secondary schools. A sample size of 232 was obtained using Krejcie and Morgan's Table for determining sample sizes. The researcher then applied proportionate sampling approach to determine the number of respondents in each group. Thus, 217 teachers, 15 principals, and 15 deputy principals were used as respondents. Questionnaires, interview schedules, and document analysis were utilized in data collection. The reliability coefficient of the instruments was determined using the test-retest technique with Cronbach's alpha statistic being used to calculate its reliability. A reliability value of 0.842 was established which was considered sufficient to get consistent outcomes. The validity of the instruments was determined by the experts in the area of specialization. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-Square analysis. The qualitative data was processed and presented using quotations according to the study's topics and sub themes. The study established that there is no statistically significant relationship between teacher professional knowledge application appraisal practices and students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Kakamega North Sub-county, Kenya. The study recommends that a policy is needed to strengthen these variables in order to realize better academic results from students in public secondary schools. The study is hoped to benefit the education stake holders, policy makers and community members in improving the students’ academic performance.

Teacher professional knowledge application and service delivery in public secondary schools in Bungoma East Sub County, Kenya

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of teacher professional knowledge practice on teacher service delivery. The study was guided by Goal Setting Theory by Edwin Locke (1979) and adopted a descriptive research design. The study population of 1050 respondents comprising of three Curriculum Support Officers (CSO), 78 Principals, 80 Deputy principals and 870 teachers from public secondary schools in Bungoma East Sub County. The sample size was determined using Krejcie and Morgan formula for determining sample sizes where a sample size of 263 was achieved. The study employed purposive, stratified and random sampling techniques to draw the respondents. All the Curriculum Support Officers were used in the study. The researcher used questionnaires and interview guides to collect data. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented in tables. Qualitative data was analyzed as per themes and subthemes and described using quotations. The study established that there was little impact on teacher service delivery by preparation of lesson plans, use of teaching/learning aids in class, marking of learners’ exercise books, lesson observation and ratings by school managers in public secondary schools.

SABERES PROFISSIONAIS DE PROFESSORES: FORMAÇÃO DOCENTE QUE ATRAVESSA E É ATRAVESSADA PELA EXPERIÊNCIA E MEMÓRIA

This article is a part of research developed through PNPD/Capes, in Unesp-Presidente Prudente. The objective of that research was to understand the formative processes and cultural, school and non-school practices, which are producing the professional knowledge of elementary school teachers – initial and final years – as a condition for the professional teaching practice in the perspective of a qualified public school. Our objective here is to understand the role assigned by these narrating teachers to the professional knowledge built from school education to be a teacher and the relationship they establish with the knowledge of experience, involved in the production of their professional teaching knowledge from the daily coexistence with " their teachers”, those who at various times present themselves as professional models in their way of acting as professional teachers within the school; but also through the cultural transits experienced in the course of life as places of learning. It is inscribed in the field of narrative research, having used the life stories of six teachers as a data production device and comprehensive analysis as an interpretive device. From the analysis of the narratives we can infer that the personal dimension, the person of the teacher appears as a kind of “catalyst” of the experiences suffered in the different spaces and times of school education and in the different transits. The teacher's professional training process takes place simultaneously in the individual and collective dimensions, combining experiences and memories that constitute their professional identity and the foundation of their teaching practices.

Development and Evaluation of Digital Learning Tools Promoting Applicable Knowledge in Economics and German Teacher Education

Digital teaching interventions allow for tailor-made university teaching. This is especially relevant for teacher education, where applicable professional teaching knowledge needs to be promoted for later professional success. Digital teaching tools have been shown to be a promising supplement for this purpose. Even though the corresponding demands in teacher education have been increasing in recent years, the need to develop digital learning tools usable in instruction is still urgent. The TWIND project develops digital learning tools for teacher education and evaluates them in a quasi-experimental design. The present work investigates the usability and application of these newly developed tools. Sixty-three trainee teachers worked independently over four weeks with one of two digital learning tools, focusing on either ‘Multilingualism in Classrooms’ or ‘Professional Communication in Classrooms.’ This study includes a pre-post-test of pedagogical knowledge facets as well as student and instructor ratings on the digital tools. The digital learning tools led to a positive change in the respective target facets of pedagogical knowledge. The student and instructor feedback reflected positively on the usability and usefulness of the new digital tools. Based on these findings, the limitations of the study as well as implications for further research and teacher education practice have been outlined.

“We All Sort of Jump to That Relationship Piece”: Science Teachers’ Collaborative Professional Learning about the Role of Relationships in Argumentation

This study investigates how a professional learning approach that draws on elements from collaborative autoethnography (CAE) can support science teachers’ learning about argumentation. It provides an account of how six secondary science teachers collectively explored their views and understandings of the importance of relationships for fostering argumentative sensemaking in classrooms. The educators partnered across four sessions to identify themes that emerged from their autoethnographic writings and discussions. The construct of “diffraction” later helped provide a situated, entangled analysis of how ideas traveled within the group over time. Findings highlight how teachers surfaced the importance of cultivating trusting classroom relationships (between teachers and students as well as between students with one another) to foster the social dialogic elements of argumentation and collective sensemaking. This insight is one not generally emphasized in teacher professional development related to argumentation and has only recently been examined in the research literature. Teachers also reclaimed the idea of “rigor” to encompass discourse that is connected to students’ lives and engages them in knowledge-building with others. This study demonstrates how a CAE-inspired teacher professional development model that emphasizes teacher agency and professional knowledge can help educators develop nuanced understandings of argumentation. As more classrooms focus on engaging students in argumentative practices, this study suggests the need for the field of science education to shift its focus to attend more fully to the role of classroom relationships, vulnerability, and trust. This study also suggests promising strategies for helping teachers increase their commitment to enacting productive and expansive classroom argumentation practices that center students’ experiences, value diverse sensemaking, and increase equitable opportunities for learning.

Research on the Pattern of college curriculum Education based on curriculum Ideology and politics in the new era

In the new period, the direction of China's educational reform has changed from "ideological and political courses" to "ideological and political courses." The focus of curriculum education in colleges and universities has shifted from teaching knowledge to imparting the connotative value of courses. Under the guiding ideology of "curriculum ideology and politics", while carrying out public courses and professional courses in colleges and universities, it is necessary to give full play to the value function of "curriculum ideology and politics" as much as possible, which is the focus of the transformation of the pattern of talent education and education in colleges and universities in the new era. Based on the current situation of talent education in colleges and universities, this paper analyzes the content and methods of teaching, teachers' own moral literacy and professional knowledge, and the cultivation of students' consciousness and ideological and moral awareness, and gradually improves the curriculum education of colleges and universities under "curriculum ideology and politics".

Exploring Female Pre-Service EFL Teacher’s Experiences with Content-Based Instruction: A Narrative Inquiry

The common problem of primary teachers in class situation is to create an effective learning environment by involving their competence to connect rational understanding, conceptual approaches, and adaptive considerations in delivering content material. In addition, the implementation of CBI in the context of teaching foreign languages requires teachers to have the ability to design content-based lesson planning and emphasize language skills. The study involved narrative research to explore the pre-working EFL female teacher experience with content-based instruction during the teacher preparation program. The study is based on theoretical concepts related to the professional knowledge of teachers about EFL and PCK (Pedagogical Content Knowledge) as the way EFL teachers describe their pedagogical knowledge. Data is obtained from various sources like: interviews, post-observation, learning diary, autobiography, and personal accounts. The data is then analyzed to generate evidence of how the participant actively applies CBI in teaching practice placement, how he creates class situation, and his aspirations about the future career of CBI. Three experience teachers of foreign language students with content-based instruction: exploring the identity/innovation interface” claim that the PCK enables students-teachers to implement CBI successfully.

Development of teacher knowledge in an initial teacher education programme qualifying mathematics teachers

South African teacher education policy expects initial teacher education programmes to introduce integrated and applied knowledge to underpin a teacher’s practice in diverse classroom contexts. This paper explores how a one-year Postgraduate Certificate in Education responds to this expectation in terms of training prospective teachers to teach high school mathematics. Exploration involves a qualitative case study of semi-structured interviews with six teacher educators and five newly qualified teachers, supplemented with document analysis. The stages of research involved a literature review, piloting the semi-structured interview questions, conducting semi-structured interviews, and analysing all accessible documents linked to the Postgraduate Certificate. All collected data were merged into one document which was read to identify codes, themes and categories. The paper finds that the Postgraduate Certificate does equip individuals with professional teacher knowledge to function in diverse contexts, albeit unevenly and highly dependent on the quality of each teacher’s past engagement with mathematics. The broad nature of policy knowledge type definitions and the lack of clarity in differentiating ‘specific specialised subject matter’ and ‘specialised pedagogical content knowledge’ are key contributing factors to uneven development in a Postgraduate Certificate. As a recommendation, we suggest that policy should differentiate ‘specific specialised subject matter’ and ‘specialised pedagogical content knowledge’ in more detail to promote the development of each as important types of knowledge needed by teachers.

Teaching knowledge and Statistical Education: a study on statistical competences and curriculum guidelines from the perspective of a collaborative group of teachers

In this paper, teachers’ knowledge regarding statistical competences and curriculum documents, mobilized in the Collaborative Group for the Training of Teachers in Statistical Education (MoSaiCo Edu) is highlighted. Considering the Discourse of the collective subject technique, the audio transcription of seven group meetings was analyzed. As a result, one can describe signs of mobilization of professional teaching knowledge related to the insertion of statistics in documents and textbooks. This was noticeable with regard to learning and skills developed by students, with regard to statistical competences, such as educational goals and with regard to the specificities and importance of context and the conceptual and procedural domain of Statistics. In this way, spaces for collaborative work among teachers provide opportunities for sharing and building teaching practices and understanding, favoring the proposition of categories and the legitimization of a specific basis for professional practice and teaching of Statistics.

Teachers’ Professional Development at Public Campuses: Issues and Challenges

Teacher professional development is the process of becoming competent teacher. It is an opportunity for teachers to share their knowledge and develop new instructional practices. TPD helps to keep academics up-to-date with the changing world and knowledge. The objective of this study was to explore issues and challenges of teacher professional development in public campuses of Nepal. This study was qualitative approach with a phenomenological design. The participants of the study were three teachers of different public campuses of Rupendehi district selected purposively. The study revealed that teachers of public campuses deserve TPD high significance in the sense that it helps teachers develop various kinds of professional skills, knowledge, and new techniques of teaching. However, Public campuses are facing many challenges which include proper management TPD for faculties of their campuses and there is a gap between policies and practices in implementation of TPD in public campuses of Nepal.

Exploring undergraduate thesis manuscript assessment feedback

AbstractThe present case study explores the assessment practice of two examiners from different academic backgrounds on an undergraduate thesis work in mathematics education. Reflection notes and feedback from two instances of a thesis‐writing process are interrogated using a framework based on a semiotics perspective to meaning‐making. It is shown that the examiners utilize aspects that are ‘immediate and non‐contested’ to successively make accessible that which is ‘withdrawn yet to be revealed.’ In this process, varied interventional approaches are observed to support desirable aspects of teacher professional knowledge including critical‐analytical disposition. The study also highlights knowledge integration for teaching, scientific disposition, collaboration, and knowledge transformation as some of the desirable aspects of teacher professional knowledge. The findings indicate that knowledge integration and transformation remain an issue of concern for pre‐service teachers. This raises the question of how desirable traits for a teacher‐as‐a researcher can be promoted within the context of thesis work.

Comparing Mathematics Early Years Education in Spain, Portugal and Slovenia

This work aims to examine how the learning of mathematics in early childhood is developed in different policies, particularly within the processes of formal education and care in early years institutions. A comparative analysis of early mathematics education policies across countries must consider cultural differences, teaching practice, structural differences and institutional framework conditions, as well as the initial training and professional knowledge of teachers and educators. Extracted from the official country regulations, the following pages include some of the main characteristics of the national systems of early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Portugal, Slovenia and Spain, as well as a comparison of the ECEC guidelines concerning mathematics education between these three countries. There is an international consensus on an approach to early mathematics education inspired by realistic mathematics education (RME), i.e., on the importance of working mathematically in context, as well as on the idea of doing so through play, developing the language to communicate mathematical ideas. However, we found that these three aspects are reflected very differently in the official regulations of the three countries: while in Spain the development is very detailed and emphasizes the holistic approach and the role of mathematics in exploring the environment, the Portuguese curriculum emphasizes the role of mathematics as a form of language. The Slovenian curriculum, at last, focuses on the concepts and procedures associated with each mathematical sense. Furthermore, there are structural features concerning the regulation and type of ECEC system that have an influence in the implementation of the curriculum.

An appraisal of Social Studies Teachers Perceptions of Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge

The study objective was to assess the perceptions of Junior High School (JHS) Social Studies teachers in the Yilo Krobo Municipality of the Eastern Region of Ghana on teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). The study adopted Shulman's theory of Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) as its theoretical framework. The philosophical approach upon which the study is hinged on is the ideology of interpretivism and positivism, in other words, pragmatism. The study used a mixed methodological approach as well as a descriptive survey design. A random sampling technique was used for the study. The study participants were JHS social studies teachers in Yilo-Krobo Municipality, Ghana. Eighty (80) out of the one hundred and two (102) representing 78.43% JHS Social Studies teachers were selected from the fifty-four JHSs in the Municipality. Both Questionnaire and interview guide were used for data collection. The survey data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and the interview data was analyzed using content analysis. The study indicated that at the heart of the PCK concept is the idea that 'deep knowledge' of content is essential for effective teaching and cannot be taken for granted; that it has a significant bearing on teaching and student learning, and that it is used as a cadre to define professional teaching knowledge. PCK also provides the uniquely necessary knowledge for the transformation of the different types of knowledge required for Social Studies teaching and evolves over time due to the progressive awareness of students' needs, while a wealth of content knowledge is imperative for the development of a comprehensive pedagogical content knowledge. The paper recommends that the Ghana Education Service (GES) should conduct regular in-service training for teachers on the enhancement of their PCK, to enable them select appropriate TLMs and pedagogical approaches that foster meaningful learning for students.