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Asia-Pacific Forum
on Science Learning and Teaching,Volume 12, Issue 2, Article 3 (Dec., 2011) |
Enhancing pedagogical content knowledge in a collaborative school-based professional development program for inquiry-based science teaching
Yeung-Chung LEE
Department of Science and Environmental Studies
Hong Kong Institute of Education, Tai Po, HONG KONG
E-mail: yclee@ied.edu.hk
Received 4 Jun., 2011
Revised 13 Dec., 2011
Contents
- Abstract
- Background to the Research
- School-based Professional Development Efforts
- 1. Lesson planning meetings (LPM)
- 2. Field notes of observers (VRL/FN)
- 3. Teachers’ reflection journals (TJ)
- 4. Team evaluation meeting (TEM)
- 5. Teachers’ questionnaire (TQ)
- Results and Analysis
- Discussion and Conclusion
- Reference
- Appendix 1A
- Appendix 1B
- Appendix 2
This study reports on the trial of a school-based professional development process aimed at helping science teachers improve their inquiry-based science teaching skills. This process focuses on developing the pedagogical content knowledge of teachers through peer collaboration, under the guidance of a teacher educator. A multi-method interpretive approach is employed to capture the development of such knowledge in the research process. The findings reveal both the potential for collaborative professional development in in-service teacher training, and the challenges faced by both primary school science teachers and teacher educators in promoting inquiry-based science teaching. The implications of the findings are discussed to develop a more in-depth understanding of the nature and processes of pedagogical content knowledge.
