Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Constructivist Teaching: A Hot Potato’s Last Straw in Swiss Science Classrooms

Abstract

Most teaching development projects and educational research projects have the aim to support teachers’ competence development, which in turn leads to improved teaching and successful students. In the context of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in particular and its effect on teaching practice, there is plenty of research in educational science. The Swiss Science Education (SWiSE) project tackles competence development in in-service teachers and intends to foster activating, inquiry-based teaching. One hundred fifty-nine science teachers from kindergarten, primary school, and lower secondary school have been evaluated. In this study we address the role of PCK in science classrooms. The hypothesis states that PCK is relevant for constructivist teaching. The results show that general PCK cannot predict constructivist teaching. Further analysis reveals that the PCK subdimension diagnostic competence is predictive of the teaching subdimension orientation toward student knowledge increase. This indicates a need to further explore and elaborate upon teacher conceptions of PCK, in particular to investigate more differentiated assessments of PCK subdimensions. The positive effect of diagnostic competence also highlights the relevance of instruction based on an accurate diagnosis of students’ needs and demands as well as continuous assessment within individualized methodologies of science teaching.