Resolving the amalgam: connecting pedagogical content knowledge, content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge

ABSTRACTThis Special Issue aims to present evidence about the relationships between content knowledge (CK), pedagogical knowledge (PK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK); the development of these types of knowledge in novice and experienced secondary science teachers; and how CK, PK and/or PCK impact students’ learning. Since Shulman’s introduction of PCK as the feature that distinguishes the teacher from the content expert, researchers have attempted to understand, delineate, assess and/or develop the construct in pre- and in-service teachers. Accordingly, empirical findings are presented that permit further discussion. Outcomes permit post-hoc examination of a recent, collectively described, ‘consensus’ model of PCK, identifying strengths and potential issues. As we will illustrate, the relationship between CK, PK and PCK is central to this; that is, probing the hypothesis of pedagogical content knowledge as an ‘amalgam’ of content and pedagogical knowledge.

German pre-service teacher education aims to foster the concurrent formation of content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and pedagogical content knowledge. Accordingly, the coordination, sequencing, and prioritization of learning opportunities for the three areas of professional knowledge represent vital issues of the organization of teacher education at German universities. In this context, reanalyzing selected data of a previous experiment, we examined effects of instruction on pedagogical content knowledge about fractions in sixth-grade mathematics on the formation of corresponding content knowledge and generic pedagogical knowledge. Totaling 59 pre-service elementary school teachers, three groups had received seven hours of intervention on either content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, or pedagogical content knowledge. Analyses of video recordings, ratings of treatment quality, and tests of professional knowledge revealed strong internal validity of the data. We found small effects of instruction on pedagogical content knowledge on the formation of both content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge. However, contrary to our expectations, effects on pedagogical knowledge were more consistent and statistically robust than effects on content knowledge. For the development of pedagogical knowledge in teacher education, this finding highlights the potential of parallel or integrated coursework, in which pre-service teachers use specific instructional strategies and student conceptions as examples to derive generic principles of teaching and learning.

Teacher education is the very first step for preparing quality teachers and it is crucial to provide quality teacher training. This research aims to analyze and compare pre-service teacher education policies and programs in Myanmar, the Philippines, and Japan, focusing on secondary science teachers. A case study research design was employed by utilizing Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework. The result shows that TPACK components found in national education policies and programs in Myanmar were Content Knowledge (CK), Pedagogical Knowledge (PK), and Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). On the other hand, TPACK found in the Philippines and Japan were CK, PK, Technological Knowledge (TK), PCK, Technological Content Knowledge (TCK), and Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK). In all three countries, limited provision of Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) was found. It is interpreted that provision of a balanced and sufficient knowledge of TPACK is essential to well equip pre-service teachers with required knowledge and skills considering internationalization and transnational education. This research uncovered the general patterns and trends in pre-service teacher education for science in three Asian countries as well as their uniqueness and best practices.

The paper concerns the Finnish product development teacherś perceptions on their pedagogical content knowledge in higher education settings. The aim is to describe and analyse what kind of pedagogical content knowledge the teachers have and, therefore, to provide a better understanding of the type of knowledge unique to product development teaching. The model of pedagogical content knowledge used here includes the components of product development content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. Based on seven teacher interviews, the main content knowledge concerns the process of product development, its different phases and methods as well as the usage of different software programs. The teachers use diverse teaching methods and their attitude towards educational technology is mostly positive. Course learning outcomes and working life are acknowledged when planning teaching, but only a few teachers take curriculum into account and participate in curriculum design. Even though the teachers use different evaluation methods in teaching, new ways of evaluation are needed. This may be something that innovative educational technology tools can make possible.

This study aimed to explore how secondary school science and mathematics teachers in Qatar integrate Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) into their teaching practices. The study examined the relationships between the subcomponents of TPACK using structural equation modeling (SEM), complemented by an analysis of additional categorical variables. A total of 245 science and mathematics teachers from Qatar participated in the research. The model’s findings showed that the internal components—technological knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and content knowledge—had a significant and positive direct effect on the external factors: technological pedagogical knowledge, technological content knowledge, and pedagogical content knowledge. However, these internal components did not directly impact TPACK itself. Together, these variables accounted for 77% of the variance in TPACK. Among the findings, Technological Content Knowledge (TCK) emerged as one of the most influential variables affecting TPACK, emphasizing its importance in teachers’ TPACK integration. On the other hand, it was found that Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) did not have a direct and significant effect on TPACK. Categorical variables like certificates and postgraduate education significantly impact TPACK and its subcomponents, while gender, field of study, and teaching experience do not. This finding underscores the importance of structured training and postgraduate education in enhancing TPACK skills for science and mathematics teachers. Participation in technology-based certification programs and postgraduate studies in STEM is crucial for their TPACK development in teaching STEM subjects. Future studies could explore the long-term impact of structured, technology-based training programs on enhancing STEM teachers’ TPACK development and assess how this improvement influences student learning outcomes in science and mathematics classrooms. This would provide deeper insights into the effectiveness of such programs and their potential to transform teaching practices and student achievement in STEM education.

Mishra and Koehler’s (2006) framework for technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) is one of the most well-received and widely researched theoretical frameworks for technology integration in the classrooms. Chai et al. (2013) recent review found that more than 70 articles about TPACK have been published between 2003 and 2011 within the Scopus database. A website dedicated to TPACK research (http://tpack.org/) has accumulated more than 450 articles. The SSCI-listed journals have also published 134 articles on TPACK as of May 2015. As an analytical and creative framework, TPACK research can potentially generate deeper knowledge construction about ICT integration among researchers and educators. It could be refined, expanded, and improved upon to account for more variables that shape, empower, or constrain the development of ICT use in education (Chai et al. 2013; Voogt et al. 2013). Building upon Shulman’s (1986) model for pedagogical content knowledge, Mishra and Koehler (2006) added the dimension of technological knowledge and demonstrated how various kinds of teacher knowledge can be derived from the integration of technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge. These integrated forms of knowledge are pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), technological content knowledge (TCK), technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK), and technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK). Together with technological knowledge (TK), pedagogical knowledge (PK), and content knowledge (CK), these seven kinds of knowledge make up the TPACK framework. While this framework provides specifications for the kinds of teacher knowledge involved during technology integration, how teachers, educators, and researchers can create more technological pedagogical content knowledge need to be further unpacked. Tee and Lee (2011) have aptly positioned generating TPACK as a knowledge creation endeavor and Kramarski and Michalsky (2010) have found it necessary to support pre-service teachers’ metacognitive self-regulation as they create TPACK through design. The creation of knowledge is a complex matter and coupled with the situated nature of TPACK (Mishra and Koehler 2006); further theorizing of the epistemic nature and processes involved in creating TPACK are needed. Specifically, the TPACK framework specifies what teachers need to integrate technology but not how the process can be improved (Cox and Graham 2009). On the other hand, there is much emphasis on the use of technology to support pedagogical improvements, especially the kinds of pedagogies that support students to foster twenty-first century competencies (ISTE 2007; P21, 2007). Voogt and Roblin (2012) have identified ICT-based learning as a common element across all twenty-first century learning frameworks they have reviewed. ICT could be used as a cognitive tool, metacognitive tool, and epistemic tool to support critical thinking, creative and inventive thinking and authentic problem solving, which are also common elements of twenty-first century learning. Yet, there is still a lack of understanding about how the seven TPACK constructs are being applied by teachers as they formulate technology-integrated lessons to promote twenty-first century learning & Joyce Hwee Ling Koh joyce.koh@nie.edu.sg

The Malaysian Education Blueprint (PPPM) 2013-2025 has spurred significant reforms in the Primary School Standard Curriculum (KSSR) and Secondary School Standard Curriculum (KSSM), particularly concerning classroom-based assessment (CBA). CBA evaluates students' understanding and progress, informs instruction, and enhances the learning outcomes. Teachers with robust pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) are better equipped to design and implement effective CBA strategies that accurately assess students' comprehension and growth, provide personalised feedback, and guide instruction. This study aims to investigate the relationship between PCK and CBA among English as a Second Language (ESL) secondary school teachers in Selangor, Malaysia. A 5-point Likert-scale questionnaire was administered to 338 teachers across 27 regional secondary schools in Selangor. The Covariance-based structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to analyse the data. The findings revealed that the secondary school teachers demonstrated a high level of PCK, with content knowledge (CK) obtaining the highest mean, followed by pedagogical knowledge (PK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The CBA practices among these teachers were also found to be high. SEM analysis showed a positive association between PK and CBA practices and between PCK and CBA. However, no positive association was observed between CK and CBA practices. In order to enhance teachers' PCK and ensure the effective implementation of CBA, which is crucial for student learning outcomes in Malaysian ESL secondary schools, it is recommended that continuous professional development opportunities be provided, specifically focusing on PCK and CBA.

The aim of this study was to explore the influence of pedagogical content knowledge competencies of Ghana senior high school textile teachers on the modernisation of indigenous Ghanaian textile industry. A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. The study targeted senior high school textile teachers, senior high school textile graduates and heads of visual arts department. The sample size for the study was 243 (225 teachers, 12 textile graduates & 6 HoDs). Questionnaire, interview guide and observation were the research instruments employed for data collection. The result of H 01 indicated that the pedagogical content knowledge of textile teachers has influence on the skills textile graduates needed to modernise the indigenous textile industry. The findings of the study also signposted that the pedagogical content knowledge of the textile teachers cannot enable the textile students to acquire the requisite skills needed to modernise the indigenous textile industry. The findings of the study indicated most of the Ghana senior high schools lacked textile training facilities and resources needed to modernise the indigenous textile industry. The study recommended that ministry of education should periodically sponsor textile teachers to have industrial attachments in both local and international renowned textile industries to learn modern content knowledge of textile manufacturing. There should also be periodic capacity building workshops on vocational skills pedagogical knowledge to enable the textile teachers effectively transmit the content knowledge to their students effectively. Keywords: Content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge. DOI : 10.7176/ADS/78-01 Publication date: November 30th 2019

This study examines Finnish and English primary student teachers' ideas when planning to teach a physics topic during their science education studies. Many primary student teachers lack sufficient subject knowledge, which prevents them from constructing the scientific pedagogical content knowledge that enables them to concentrate on pupils' thinking and process skills needed in a physics topic. Therefore they will have problems constructing learning environments that encourage pupils to take active control of their learning. In order to develop effective pedagogical content knowledge it is of the utmost importance that the science educators responsible for physics courses pay special attention to the promotion of favourable attitudes towards the teaching of physics topics. This can be done by focusing on how to teach some basic familiar topics. Quality, not quantity, is important in focusing on both subject knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. The construction of pedagogical content knowledge is a complex interrelationship of attitudes, subject, and pedagogical knowledge. All three of them need to be developed to enable students to confidently and effectively teach young children.

This study assessed the integration of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) among 500 senior high school science teachers in CALABARZON, employing a descriptive quantitative approach. Data were gathered using a validated and reliable survey instrument (overall Cronbach's <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$\alpha = 0.908$</tex>) distributed through online and paper formats. Findings revealed that teachers demonstrated very high proficiency in Pedagogical Knowledge (PK), Content Knowledge (CK), and Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), indicating strong instructional and subject mastery. However, Technological Knowledge (TK) scored comparatively lower, suggesting limited expertise in advanced or discipline-specific digital tools. The composite mean ratings across TPACK domains reflected teachers' readiness to integrate technology with pedagogy and content, though continuous professional development remains essential. Results emphasized that teachers with greater experience and prior training in educational technology achieved higher TPACK scores. The study concludes that sustained institutional and technological support is vital for enhancing teachers' digital competence and effective TPACK integration in science education.

Teacher competence is essential in technical-vocational education and training (TVET), particularly in practice-oriented fields like Electrical Installation and Maintenance (EIM). Shulman’s Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) Model, which integrates Content Knowledge (CK), Pedagogical Knowledge (PK), and Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), provides a framework for evaluating teacher competence.A quantitative descriptive design was employed, involving 40 purposively selected teachers from TVET schools in Surigao del Sur, Philippines. Data were collected through a validated Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed using weighted means.Teachers rated themselves positively across all domains. PCK (4.10, Agree) emerged as the strongest, followed by PK (4.06, Agree) and CK (3.86, Agree). Strengths included designing hands-on activities, fostering critical thinking, and integrating technology, while lower scores were reported in assessment literacy and technical demonstrations.TVET teachers demonstrate strong competence in integrating pedagogy with content but face challenges in assessment and demonstration skills. Professional development in authentic assessment, practice-based training, and industry immersion is recommended. Future studies should evaluate the long-term effects of these interventions on teaching quality and learner outcomes.

Three kinds of knowledge that effective teachers should master have been proposed: content knowledge (CK), pedagogical knowledge (PK), and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Most PCK studies have been conducted in the mathematics or science domain. In recent years, a growing number of studies related to foreign language teachers’ PCK have appeared. However, there is a paucity of studies that explore teachers’ PCK in the field of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL). In this study, we present a conceptualization of Chinese as foreign teachers’ PCK when they teach Chinese pronunciation. The research design builds on semi-structured interviews involving 20 CFL teachers ( n = 20), focusing on five PCK domains: (1) teachers’ knowledge of Chinese pronunciation subject content (initials, finals, tones, intonation, and stress), (2) their curriculum knowledge, (3) their knowledge of students’ mistakes and difficulties, (4) their knowledge of Chinese pronunciation-specific instructional strategies, and (5) their knowledge of instructional media. The results show that CFL teachers reflect a strong mastery of PCK concerning teaching tones, followed by initials and finals. Teachers’ PCK regarding teaching intonation and stress were much weaker in all five PCK components. Their PCK of teaching intermediate-level and advanced-level students was also limited by curriculum and time arrangement restrictions.

Academic optimism defines talent, the desire to succeed, and optimism as the three factors that make success possible. Pedagogical content knowledge is specific to teachers and is based on how they connect their subject matter knowledge with pedagogical knowledge (what they know about teaching). Physical literacy is the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge, and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life. This study aims to determine whether a significant relationship exists between the MAPEH Teachers’ Academic Optimism, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, and Physical Literacy. The demographic profile of MAPEH teachers shows that most are female, married, between the ages of 41 and 50, have been teaching for more than six years, have a baccalaureate degree, and have participated in national training. The weighted mean was also employed to determine the academic optimism, pedagogical content knowledge, and physical literacy of MAPEH Teachers. The fact that the respondents' teachers assessed them as having high levels of self-efficacy in their teaching (mean = 4.80) indicates that they have attained a very high degree of academic optimism. With six domains and the highest mean for educational purposes (4.74), pedagogical content knowledge According to the respondents' accomplishments, it is clear that they have a very high level of understanding in the field of pedagogical content. With four domains and the highest mean for knowledge and understanding (4.41), physical literacy In light of the respondents' accomplishments, it is clear that they have a high level of physical literacy. Last but not least, the findings indicate that there was a substantial connection between academic optimism, pedagogical content knowledge, and physical literacy, with a correlation significant at the 0.01 level and a correlation significant at the 0.05 level.

The purpose of this study is to assess Cambodian high school science teachers’ perceptions of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) knowledge domains, including content knowledge (CK), pedagogical knowledge (PK), technological knowledge (TK), pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), technological content knowledge (TCK), technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK) and TPACK and investigate the relationship between knowledge domains with some demographic variables such as gender, qualification, age, teaching experience, school type and school location. The study surveyed 240 Cambodian high school science teachers using a self-rating questionnaire. Data analyses employed independent samples t-test, One-Way ANOVA and Pearson’s correlation statistics to produce findings. The results revealed that Cambodian high school science teachers responding to the survey rated their knowledge relatively high for the CK, PK, PCK and TK, but relatively low for TCK, TPK and TPACK. Difference analyses affirmed that only the school-type variable indicated the difference in the four technology-related knowledge domains of TPACK. Age and teaching experience had negative correlations solely with the four technology-related domains. In conclusion, Cambodian high school science teachers have enough knowledge in (1) subject contents, (2) teaching strategies of their subject matter, and (3) ICT for administrative works and to support subject-matter-related works. Cambodian high school science teachers need more knowledge of specialised ICT for education to improve their teaching and enhance students’ learning on their subject.

This book is a research study, which deals with firstly, the English language proficiency levels of Pedagogy of English student-teachers and practicing government English teachers. Secondly, the knowledge base – pedagogical knowledge, content knowledge, and pedagogical content knowledge – the teachers should have. Thirdly, it reflects on the efficacy of the present preservice B.Ed. Pedagogy of English curriculum to address the needs of the student-teachers. Fourthly, the perceptions they hold regarding effective preservice B. Ed. Pedagogy of English, and finally, posit a Pedagogy of English curriculum based on the analyses to make the content more beneficial to Pedagogy of English student-teachers.