scholarly journals The influence of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) for teaching macroevolution on student outcomes in a general education biology course

Author(s):  
Emily Marie Walter
Author(s):  
Chrystalla Mouza ◽  
Hui Yang ◽  
Yi-Cheng Pan ◽  
Sule Yilmaz Ozden ◽  
Lori Pollock

This study presents the design of an educational technology course for pre-service teachers specific to incorporating computational thinking in K-8 classroom settings. Subsequently, it examines how participation in the course influences pre-service teachers' dispositions and knowledge of computational thinking concepts and the ways in which such knowledge can be combined with content and pedagogy to promote meaningful student outcomes. Data were collected from a self-reported survey and case reports focusing on the design, implementation, and outcomes of computational thinking related lessons in K-8 classrooms. Results indicated that the course positively influenced pre-service teachers’ knowledge of computational thinking concepts, tools, and practices. Yet, some participants demonstrated only surface understanding of computational thinking and were unable to design lessons that meaningfully integrated computational thinking concepts and tools with disciplinary content and pedagogy. Findings have implications for the design of teacher education experiences that help prepare pre-service teachers develop technological pedagogical content knowledge in relation to computational thinking concepts and practices. 


2014 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 124-147
Author(s):  
Marina Miyuko Akutagawa Tacoshi ◽  
Carmen Fernandez

Assessment of learning plays a central role in the teaching-learning process, and it has been extensively investigated due to the recognized necessity of adjusting didactic models to the new curricula and social demands. The knowledge of assessment is considered one of the components of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) by some authors and for other authors is considered one component of the knowledge base for teaching. It is also recognized the strong link between knowledge of the educational ends, goals, purposes and values and the knowledge of assessment procedures. In this work, results focused on ten chemistry teachers are presented with the main goal of assessing and describing the knowledge of assessment practices and its close relationship with the purposes and educational aims. The results of the current study are based on semi-structured interviews, schools’ educational projects, questionnaires, evaluations and teacher lesson plans. The data suggest that there exists an inconsistency in the discourse regarding general education and chemistry education. Although the discourse at all levels, including educational projects, planning and interviews, can be considered as innovative, in actual practice we observed a strong tendency toward the teacher-centered approach and summative assessment. The results show that, in general, the investigated chemistry teachers lack the intrinsic knowledge to elaborate questions that assess students´ higher-order thinking, to use assessment results to improve teaching and learning, to inform planning, and ultimately, to perform assessments for learning that regulate and promote the learning process, in line with their own beliefs regarding the objectives of chemical education. As a result, we can infer problems in other PCK components of these teachers. Keywords: assessment, chemistry teacher education, knowledge base of teaching, pedagogical content knowledge.


Author(s):  
Mohammed Yousef Mai ◽  
Mahizer Hamzah

The integration of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in classrooms has been a challenge for the educational systems that aim to cope with the needs and the demands of the 21st century. The TPACK framework represents the knowledge needed by teachers bringing together content knowledge, technological knowledge and pedagogical knowledge with the aim of integrating ICTs into teaching-learning processes. The aim of this study is to determine the primary science teachers’ perceptions of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) addressing teachers’ perceptions of the affordances of technology application in instruction. A total of 133 prımary science teachers in Malaysia were surveyed (Female= 67, Male= 66). Data were collected through “Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge” (TPACK) scale. The questionnaire consisted of 47 questions about TPACK and is based on the survey instrument developed by Schmidt et al. (2009). TPACK involving the seven factors of technological knowledge (TK), pedagogical knowledge (PK), content knowledge (CK), technological content knowledge (TCK), technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK), pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), as well as synthesized knowledge of technology, pedagogy, and content (TPC). The findings indicate that primary science teachers perceive higher self-confidence in pedagogical knowledge in general. Further, no differences between science teachers’ perceptions according to thier gender, while there are diferences between the teachers perceptions of PK, CK, and PCK accordıng to their age


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