Considering pedagogical content knowledge in the context of research on teaching: An example from technology

Abstract

When thinking about teaching, the pedagogical content knowledge of teachers cannot be ignored. We argue that pedagogical content knowledge is a major determiner of teaching practice and is central to teachers’ curriculum decision-making at the classroom level. This paper takes a sociocultural perspective on the importance of developing teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge. From our classroom-based research in technology education and the past research we propose a model of pedagogical content knowledge with seven characteristics that we believe are important for effective teaching.