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TECHNOLOGY TEACHERS’ PEDAGOGICAL CONTENT KNOWLEDGE : South Africa and New Zealand

P John Williams Centre for Science and Technology Education Research University of Waikato pj.williams@waikato.ac.nz Mishack T Gumbo Department of Further Teacher Education University of South Africa gumbomt@unisa.ac.za. TECHNOLOGY TEACHERS’ PEDAGOGICAL CONTENT KNOWLEDGE :

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TECHNOLOGY TEACHERS’ PEDAGOGICAL CONTENT KNOWLEDGE : South Africa and New Zealand

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  1. P John Williams Centre for Science and Technology Education Research University of Waikato pj.williams@waikato.ac.nz Mishack T Gumbo Department of Further Teacher Education University of South Africa gumbomt@unisa.ac.za TECHNOLOGY TEACHERS’ PEDAGOGICAL CONTENT KNOWLEDGE: South Africa and New Zealand

  2. INTRODUCTION • Collaborative comparative study between SA & NZ • SA & NZ have recently experienced curriculum transformation and change. • Introduced TE: NZ in 1997 SA in 1998 • TE reviews: NZ in 2007 SA in 2000 & 2009 • parallel processes

  3. RESEARCH QUESTION Research question: What is secondary technology teachers’ PCK? Sub-questions re to: • nature and purpose of technology education • knowledge of their technology education curriculum • understand the nature of technology • pedagogies suitable to technology teaching • assessment • teaching and learning resources • indigenous technology

  4. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK • Initial concept of PCK: 1986 by Lee Shulman • PCK: special attributes that a teacher possesses, that help him/her to guide a student to understand content in a manner that is personally meaningful (Shulman, 1987) • Shulman – Seven-part classification of teacher knowledge: • knowledge of subject matter • pedagogical content knowledge • general pedagogical knowledge • knowledge of curriculum • knowledge of learners and their characteristics • knowledge of educational context • knowledge of educational aims, purposes and values

  5. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Other variations: • Cochran, King & Reuter (1991) – four elements • Magnusson, Krajcik and Borko (1999) – five elements • Gumbo (2000); Maluleka, Wilkinson & Gumbo (2006) – western and indigenous forms of technology • Veal & MaKinster (1999); Smith & Neale (1989) • Mishra & Koehler (2006) - TPCK

  6. RESEARCH DESIGN Comparative case study design: • a powerful tool, credibility gained through repeated observation (Pieterson, 2005) . • effective concept-formation by bringing into focus suggestive similarities and contrasts among cases (Collier, 1993). Data collection: Structured interviews, observation and document review Sample of 8 technology teachers – one teacher in each of eight schools

  7. DATA ANALYSIS Analysis guided by strategy of Marshall & Rossman (1999): 1: Reframing (focus on the purpose of study) 2: Listen to recorded data to verify transcripts and read data once without trying to develop themes or codes. 3: Re-read data and take preliminary notes, beginning to organize them into themes. 4: Re-read data further to develop more detailed codes within codes while highlighting relevant quotes. 5: remove text related to certain themes and reassemble by codes.

  8. Case studies NZ urban boys school 700 students Tr: late 50’s, teaching 20 years, ex-mechanic rural school, 700 students Tr: late 50’s, teaching for 10 years, ex-mechanic urban school, 1100 students Tr: mid 40’s, teaching 10 years, recent leave to update quals small town school 1000 students Tr: late 50’s, teaching 30 years, 7 teachers in department

  9. Case studies SA

  10. Findings Nature and purpose of technology education Both countries re to national context SA: minimize foreign dependency (practical) NZ: small country, little manufacturing, so need to be creative and inventive (cognitive)

  11. Findings Nature and purpose of technology education Technological knowledge: SA: teaching new knowledge based on curriculum and text book sequence NZ: new knowledge taught when there is a practical application

  12. Findings Knowledge of the curriculum • all teachers aware, to varying degrees • limited understanding used alternative organizers: • NZ: voc standards • SA: textbook

  13. Findings Knowledge of the curriculum • Progression planning • NZ: technology available to Yr 13, so often long term planning • SA: v limited upper secondary offerings, so concern more for covering topics

  14. Findings Technology education pedagogies • both countries referred to a practical-theory dichotomy • SA – v difficult to do practical activities, though recognized as important • NZ – almost the reverse

  15. Findings Assessment • Diverse and inconsistent in both countries • group assessment was a common feature • SA: tends to be tests and exams • NZ: projects and portfolios

  16. Findings Resources • books common in SA, not in NZ • most tech teachers in SA, not trained as such, so dependant for ideas • professional assoc support in NZ, not in SA • more consistency of school resources in NZ • SA students typically supply own materials • SA teachers feel Tech is not treated seriously

  17. Findings Indigenous technology • little more in SA than NZ (a content area in SA curriculum) • diversity of indigenous backgrounds cited as impediment • superficial (some posters, artistic design) • not strategically addressed

  18. SA NZ • most diversity: resources • little impact on PCK • PCK modified by the context • philosophical approach • clearly general in SA • voc – gen dichotomy in NZ

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