Inquiring into pre-service content area teachers’ development of literacy practices and pedagogical content knowledge
Abstract
The focus of this qualitative multi-year case study is on preservice teachers’ experiences related to the development of their literacy practices in teaching high school science, math, social studies and other content area courses during their final field placement in a teacher education program. Results indicate tangible indicators of overall growth in participants’ developing pedagogical content knowledge as well differences in the depth of their learning. All participants willingly supported the idea of integrating literacy in content area courses, but their successes were somewhat uneven, and reflective of their evolving pedagogical content knowledge, as they attempted to make literacy practices a regular part of their teaching practices. Our findings should be of interest to teacher education programs and school districts in supporting pre-service and beginning teachers as they develop their practices as teachers of literacy in content areas.
Reference
Mitton Kukner, J. & Murray Orr, A. (2015). Inquiring into pre-service content area teachers' development of literacy practices and pedagogical content knowledge. Australian Journal of Teacher Education 40 (5), 41-60. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2015v40n5.3
Journal
Australian Journal of Teacher Education
Analysis
Is this article part of a larger project or series of studies?
yes
Does this study draw on a large, preexisting data set?
no
Research Approach
Geographic Setting
Institutional Context
Certification Level
Programatic Focus
Research Location Context
- Content area literacy course
- Secondary school
- student teaching placement schools
Preservice Participants
- Inservice
- undergraduate preservice teachers
Preservice Sample Size
Duration of Data Collection
Data Sources
Data Analysis Tools
- Thematic analysis
- Thematic discourse analysis
Researcher Positionality
- inside (staying their own students)
- Inside (studying their own programs)
Research Questions
the evolution of literacy practices of pre-service teachers and graduates of one teacher education program in Atlantic Canada as they begin their teaching careers
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes