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Development and Nature of Preservice Chemistry Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Nature of Science

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Abstract

The purpose of this case study is to delve into the complexities of the early development of preservice chemistry teachers’ science teaching orientations, knowledge of learners, knowledge of instructional strategies, and knowledge of assessment during a two-semester intervention designed to enhance their pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) for teaching nature of science (NOS). Thirty preservice chemistry teachers enrolled in a Research in Science Education course participated in the study. Qualitative data sources included responses to an open-ended instrument, interviews, observations, and artifacts such as lesson plans and reflection papers. Through the in-depth analysis of explicit PCK and constant comparative method of analysis, we identified the influence of the intervention on participants’ PCK for NOS. Analysis of data revealed four major themes related to the nature of preservice chemistry teachers’ NOS teaching practices and their PCK for NOS: (1) prerequisite knowledge and beliefs are necessary to teach NOS, (2) there is a developmental progression of PCK for NOS from knowledge to application level, (3) teachers need some comfort in their NOS understanding to teach NOS, and (4) the higher integration of PCK components leads to successful NOS teaching practices. Implications for science teacher education and research are discussed.

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Notes

  1. All names of the participants are pseudonyms.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the TUBITAK 1001 and 2014 support programs provided by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Science Education, Bulent Ecevit University, 67300, Kdz. Eregli, Zonguldak, Turkey

    Betül Demirdöğen

  2. Department of Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum, University of Missouri Columbia, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA

    Deborah L. Hanuscin

  3. Department of Secondary Science and Mathematics Education, Middle East Technical University, 06800, Ankara, Turkey

    Esen Uzuntiryaki-Kondakci

  4. Department of Secondary Science and Mathematics Education, Gazi University, 06500, Ankara, Turkey

    Fitnat Köseoğlu

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  1. Betül Demirdöğen
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  2. Deborah L. Hanuscin
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  3. Esen Uzuntiryaki-Kondakci
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  4. Fitnat Köseoğlu
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Correspondence to Betül Demirdöğen.

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Notes

This material is based upon work supported by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey 1001-Scientific and Technological Research Project Support Program under Grant 108K086 entitled “Teaching the Nature of Science: Production of a professional development package for teaching scientific argumentation and reasoning based on philosophy and history of science.”

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Demirdöğen, B., Hanuscin, D.L., Uzuntiryaki-Kondakci, E. et al. Development and Nature of Preservice Chemistry Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Nature of Science. Res Sci Educ 46, 575–612 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-015-9472-z

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