Abstract
Experienced teachers possess a unique teaching knowledge comprised of an inter-related set of knowledge and beliefs that gives direction and justification to a teacher’s actions. This study examined the expansion of two components of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of three in-service teachers in the course of a professional development program aimed at designing new teaching and learning materials suggested by the teachers themselves. The research presents an enlargement of previous PCK representations by focusing on a detailed representation of two main PCK domains: teaching and learning, including ten PCK components that emerged in the course of data analysis. This representation enabled revealing the unique PCK held by each teacher and to characterize the expansion of the two components of the participating teachers’ PCK during the long-term professional development program. Retention of major parts of the expanded PCK a year after termination of the program implies that designing and implementing new teaching and learning materials based on the teachers’ experiences, needs, and knowledge in a workshop format accompanied by biology and science education courses might provide a powerful means for PCK expansion. We recommend that designers of professional development programs be aware of the unique PCK held by each teacher in order to promote meaningful professional development of each teacher. Moreover, the PCK representations that were identified in the course of this study enabled clarifying the “orientation toward teaching science” category of PCK which appears to be unclear in current literature.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abell, S. K. (2008). Twenty years later: Does pedagogical content knowledge remain a useful idea? International Journal of Science Education, 30(10), 1405–1416.
Ainley, J., & Luntley, M. (2006). Towards an articulation of expert classroom practice. Teaching and Teacher Education, 23(7), 1127–1138.
Ball, D. L., Thames, M. H., & Phelps, G. (2008). Content knowledge for teaching what makes it special? Journal of Teacher Education, 59(5), 389–407.
Bell, B., & Gilbert, J. (1996). Teacher development: A model from science education. London: Falmer Press.
Berry, A., Loughran, J., & van Driel, J. H. (2008). Revisiting the roots of pedagogical content knowledge. International Journal of Science Education, 30(10), 1271–1279.
Bransford, J., Brown, A., & Cocking, R. (1999). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
Bybee, R. W., Short, J. B., Landes, N. M., & Powel, J. C. (2003). Professional development and science curriculum implementation—A perspective for leadership. New York: RoutledgeFalmer.
Chi, M. T. H. (1997). Quantifying qualitative analyses of verbal data: A practical guide. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 6(3), 271–315.
Cohen, R., & Yarden, A. (2009). Experienced junior-high-school teacher’s PCK in light of curriculum change: “The cell is to be studied longitudinally”. Research in Science Education, 39(1), 131–155.
Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (1990). Grounded theory research: Procedures, canons and evaluative criteria. Qualitative Sociology, 13(1), 3–21.
Creswell, J. W. (2003). A framework for design. In C. D. Laughton & V. Novak (Eds.), Research design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches (pp. 15–26). Lincoln, Nebraska: Sage Publications.
Da-Silva, C., Ruiz, V. M. C., & Porlan, R. (2006). Evolution of the conceptions of a secondary education biology teacher: Longitudinal analysis using cognitive maps. Science Education, 91(3), 461–491.
de Jong, O., & Van Der Valk, A. E. (2007). Science teachers’ PCK and teaching practice: Learning to scaffold students’ open-inquiry Learning. In R. Pinto & D. Couso (Eds.), Contributions from Science Education Research (pp. 107–118). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer.
Even, R. (2008). Facing the challenge of educating educators to work with practicing mathematics teachers. In B. J. T. Wood (Ed.), International Handbook of Mathematics Teacher Education: The Mathematics Teacher Educator as a Developing Professional. Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense.
Eylon, B., & Bagno, E. (2006). Research-design model for professional development of teachers: Designing lessons with physics education research. Physics Education Research, 2(1), 1–14.
Fernandez-Balboa, J., & Stiehl, J. (1995). The generic nature of pedagogical content knowledge among college professors. Teaching and Teacher Education, 11(3), 293–306.
Friedrichsen, P. J., Abell, S. K., Pareja, E. M., Brown, P. L., Lankford, D. M., & Volkmann, M. J. (2009). Does teaching experience matter? Examining biology teachers’ prior knowledge for teaching in an alternative certification program. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 46(4), 357–383.
Friedrichsen, P. J., Van Driel, J. H., & Abell, S. K. (2011). Taking a closer look at science teaching orientations. Science Education, 95(2), 358–376.
Greeno, J. G., Colins, A., & Resnick, L. B. (1996). Cognition and learning. (In Berliner, D. & Calfee, R. (Eds.), Handbook of Educational Psychology (pp. 15–46): MacMillan).
Grossman, P. L. (1990). The making of a teacher: Teacher knowledge and teacher education. New-York: Teachers College Press.
Hanley, P., Maringe, F., & Ratcliffe, M. (2008). Evaluation of professional development: Deploying a process-focused model. International Journal of Science Education, 30(5), 711–725.
Heimlich, J. E., & Norland, E. (2002). Teaching style: Where are we now? New directions for adult and continuing education, 2002(93), 17–25.
Henze, I., & Verloop, N. (2009). Experienced science teachers’ learning in the context of educational innovation. Journal of Teacher Education, 60(2), 184–199.
Henze, I., Van Driel, J. H., & Verloop, N. (2007). The change of science teachers’ personal knowledge about teaching models and modeling in the context of science education reform. International Journal of Science Education, 29(15), 1819–1846.
Henze, I., Van Driel, J. H., & Verloop, N. (2008). Development of experienced science teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge of models of the solar system and the universe. International Journal of Science Education, 30(10), 1321–1342.
Hewson, P. W. (2007). Teacher professional development in science. In S. K. Abell & N. G. Lederman (Eds.), Handbook of Research in Science Education (pp. 1179–1203). New Jersey and London: Lawrence Erlmaum Associates.
Hofstein, A., Carmi, M., & Ben-Zvi, R. (2003). The development of leadership among chemistry teachers in Israel. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 1(1), 39–65.
Kind, V. (2009). Pedagogical content knowledge in science education: Perspectives and potential for progress. Studies in Science Education, 45(2), 169–204.
Lee, E., & Luft, J. A. (2008). Experienced secondary science teachers’ representation of pedagogical content knowledge. International Journal of Science Education, 30(10), 1343–1363.
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1994). Competing paradigms in qualitative research. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of Qualitative Research (pp. 105–117). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Inc.
Lotter, C., Harwood, W. S., & Bonner, J. J. (2007). The Influence of core teaching conceptions on teachers’ use of inquiry teaching practices. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 44(9), 1318–1347.
Loucks-Horsley, S., Love, N., Stiles, K. E., Mundry, S., & Hewson, P. W. (2003). Designing professional development for teachers of science and mathematics. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press, Inc.
Loughran, J., Milroy, P., Berry, A., Gunstone, R., & Mulhall, P. (2001). Documenting science teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge through PaP-eRs. Research in Science Education, 31(2), 289–307.
Loughran, J., Mulhall, P., & Berry, A. (2008). Exploring pedagogical content knowledge in science teacher education. International Journal of Science Education, 30(10), 1301–1320.
Magnusson, S., Krajcik, J., & Borko, H. (1999). Nature, sources and development of pedagogical content knowledge for science teaching. In J. Gess-Newsome & N. G. Lederman (Eds.), Examining Pedagogical Content Knowledge: PCK and Science Education (pp. 95–132). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer academic publishers.
Pareja, E. M. (1992). Teachers’ beliefs and educational research: Cleaning up a messy construct. Review of Educational Research, 62(3), 307–332.
Park, S., & Chen, Y. (2011). Mapping out the integration of the components of pedagogical content knowledge for teaching photosynthesis and heredity. Orlando, Florida: Paper presented at the National Association of Research in Science Teaching (NARST).
Park, S., & Oliver, J. S. (2008a). National Board Certification (NBC) as a catalyst for teachers’ learning about teaching: the effects of the NBC process on candidate teachers’ PCK development. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 45(7), 812–834.
Park, S., & Oliver, J. S. (2008b). Revisiting the conceptualization of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK): PCK as a conceptual tool to understand teachers and professionals. Research in Science Education, 38(3), 261–284.
Park, S., Jang, J., Chen, Y., & Jung, J. (2011). Is pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) necessary for reformed science teaching? Evidence from an empirical study. Research in Science Education, 41(2), 245–260.
Parke, H. M., & Coble, C. R. (1997). Teachers designing curriculum as professional development: A model for transformational science teaching. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 34(8), 773–789.
Postholm, M. B. (2008). Teachers developing practice: Reflection as a key activity. Teaching and Teacher Education, 24(7), 1717–1728.
Schneider, R. M., & Plasman, K. (2011). Science teacher learning progressions: A review of science teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge development. Review of Educational Research, 81(4), 530–565.
Shkedi, A. (2003). Words of Meaning: Qualitative Research—Theory and Practice. (Tel Aviv, Israel: Ramot (in Hebrew).).
Shulman, L. S. (1986). Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching. Educational Researcher, 15(2), 4–14.
Smith, J. P. I., diSessa, A. A., & Roschelle, J. (1993). Misconceptions reconcieved: A constructivist analysis of knowledge in transition. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 3(8), 115–163.
Stake, R. E. (1995). The Art of Case Study Research. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
Tamir, P. (1988). Subject matter and related pedagogical content knowledge in teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 4(2), 99–110.
Tytler, R., Symington, D., & Smith, C. (2009). A curriculum innovation framework for science, technology and mathematics education. Research in Science Education, 39(6).
Tytler, R., Symington, D., & Smith, C. (2011). A curriculum innovation framework for science, technology and mathematics education. Research in Science Education, 41(1), 19–38.
Van Der Valk, A. E., & Broekman, H. G. B. (1999). The lesson preparation method: A way of investigating pre-service teacher’s pedagogical content knowledge. European Journal of Teacher Education, 22(1), 11–22.
Van Dijk, E. M., & Kattmann, U. (2007). A research model for the study of science teachers’ PCK and improving teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 23, 558–897.
Van Driel, J. H., & Beijaard, D. (2003). Enhancing Science Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge Through Collegial Interaction. New York: RoutledgeFalmer.
Van Driel, J. H., Verloop, N., & De Vos, W. (1998). Developing science teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 35(6), 673–695.
Van Driel, J. H., Beijaard, D., & Verloop, N. (2001). Professional development and reform in science education: The role of teachers’ practical knowledge. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 38(2), 137–158.
Van Driel, J. H., Bulte, A. M. W., & Verloop, N. (2007). The relationships between teachers’ general beliefs about teaching and learning and their domain specific curricular beliefs. Learning and Instruction, 17(2), 156–171.
Von Glasersfeld, E. (1989). Cognition, construction of knowledge, and teaching. Synthesis, 80(1), 121–140.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Interaction between learning and development. Cambridge, London: Harvard university press.
Yarden, A. (2009). Reading scientific texts: Adapting primary literature for promoting scientific literacy. Research in Science Education, 39(3), 307–311.
Acknowledgments
We are thankful to the teachers who participated in this study, to the Rothschild-Weizmann Program for Excellence in Science Education, and to The Israel Science Foundation (grant No. 836/09) for funding.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rozenszajn, R., Yarden, A. Expansion of Biology Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) During a Long-Term Professional Development Program. Res Sci Educ 44, 189–213 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-013-9378-6
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-013-9378-6