Reconceptualising Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Physical Education Teacher Education

While Content Knowledge (CK) has gained much attention in Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) scholarship, Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) has not been explored to the same extent and depth. In this conceptual... [ view full abstract ]

While Content Knowledge (CK) has gained much attention in Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) scholarship, Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) has not been explored to the same extent and depth. In this conceptual paper, the overarching aim is to develop theory of PCK which complements the perspectives in PETE research building on Shulman’s (1987) concepts of teacher knowledge. The paper is built up in two steps of analysis. Firstly, we identify assumptions underlying PCK in the PETE literature. Secondly, we elaborate on perspectives of PCK that, to our knowledge, have not been explored in the PETE literature. In the preliminary analysis we have found two main assumptions underpinning PCK in the PETE literature. One is that CK must be taught and assessed separately from pedagogical contexts. The other is that PCK does not necessarily presuppose extensive teaching and assessment of CK. Building on these assumptions, we will elaborate on an integrated perspective of PCK through ‘playing’ (Thomas 2006) with established theories and ‘thinking’ metaphorically (Shoemaker et al 2004).

References

Shulman, L.S. (1987). Knowledge and Teaching: Foundations of the New Reform. Harvard Educational Review 57 (1): 1-21.

Shoemaker, P. J., Tankard, J. W., & Lasorsa, D. L. (2004). How to build social science theories. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Thomas, G. (2007). Education and theory: strangers in paradigms. Berkshire, England: McGraw Hill.