Pedagogical Content Knowledge as a Heuristic to Describe Learning Progressions for Science Teachers

• In Event: Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK): Considering Models, Methods, and Recommendations From the PCK Summit

Abstract

Learning progressions are the successively more sophisticated ways of thinking about an idea that follow one another over a broad span of time (Heritage, 2008). Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) can be a heuristic for teacher knowledge to untangle the complexities of what science teachers know about teaching and how it changes over time. Using a learning progression framework and ideas about PCK, this paper examines science teachers’ thinking in order to refine ideas about productive trajectories for science teachers and how to support them. The characteristics of learning progressions are that progress is: continuous and coherent, an incremental sequence from novice to expert performance, and mediated by instruction (Heritage, 2008). Others describe research on learning progressions to be beneficial for improving curriculum based on a better understanding of students’ progress in relationship to instruction (Corcoran, Mosher, & Rogat, 2009).

Within a learning progression framework, it is necessary to consider the type of knowledge teachers need for expertise in teaching science. Learning to know like a teacher means developing the knowledge of teaching used and developed within practice (Feiman-Nemser, 2008). This knowledge – pedagogical content knowledge – is what teachers know about their subject matter and how to make it accessible to students (Carter, 1990). Part of the attractiveness of PCK is that it is a domain specific, yet, professional knowledge thought to be important for content teachers beyond their specific classroom. In contrast to practical knowledge, PCK is more formal and built on the profession’s collective wisdom (Carter, 1990; Munby, Russell & Martin, 2001).

PCK is being used as a guide for designing supports for science teacher thinking and to examine their changing ideas. One aspect of this work is the examination of research studies that report science teachers’ PCK at different points across preservice, new, continuing, and lead-teacher career phases. Interns’ ideas within categories of PCK at four stages of the preservice year were examined. Analysis categories for components of PCK were based on description of PCK in the literature and coding of the articles/data. Trajectories for components of PCK are suggested. Findings also suggest that some categories of PCK are more helpful for describing trajectories for knowledge development.

References:
Carter, K. (1990). Teachers' knowledge and learning to teach. In W. R. Houston (Ed.), Handbook of research on teacher education (pp. 291-310). NY, NY: Macmillan Publishing Company.

Corcoran, T. B., Mosher, F. A., & Rogat, A. D. (2009). Learning progressions in science: An evidence-based approach to reform. Philadelphia, PA: Consortium for Policy Research in Education

Feiman-Nemser, S. (2008). Teacher learning: How do teachers learn to teach? In M. Cochran-Smith, S.

Feiman-Nemser, D. J. McIntyre & K. Demers (Eds.), Handbook of research on teacher education: Enduring questions in changing contexts (pp. 697-705). NY: Routledge.

Heritage, M. (2008). Learning progressions: Supporting instruction and formative assessment. Washington, D. C.: CRESST.

Munby, H., Russell, T., & Martin, A. (2001). Teachers' knowledge and how it develops. In V. Richardson (Ed.), Handbook of Research on Teaching (fourth ed.). Washington, D.C.: American
Educational Research Association

Author

• Rebecca M. Schneider, University of Toledo