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The knowledge base of subject matter experts in teaching : A case study of a professional scientist as a beginning teacher
Diezmann, Carmel M. Watters, James J.
Diezmann, Carmel M.
Watters, James J.
Abstract
One method of addressing the shortage of science and mathematics teachers is to train scientists and other science-related professionals to become teachers. Advocates argue that as discipline experts these career changers can relate the subject matter knowledge to various contexts and applications in teaching. In this paper, through interviews and classroom observations with a former scientist and her students, we examine how one career changer used her expertise in microbiology to teach microscopy. These data provided the basis for a description of the teacher’s instruction which was then analysed for components of domain knowledge for teaching. Consistent with the literature, the findings revealed that this career changer needed to develop her pedagogical knowledge. However, an interesting finding was that the teacher’s subject matter as a science teacher differed substantively from her knowledge as a scientist. This finding challenges the assumption that subject matter is readily transferable across professions and provides insight into how to better prepare and support career changers to transition from scientist to science teacher.
Keywords
beginning teachers, career change, contextual knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, science teaching, scientist, STEM, subject matter knowledge
Date
2015
Type
Journal article
Journal
International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education
Book
Volume
13
Issue
6
Page Range
1517-1537
Article Number
ACU Department
School of Education
Faculty of Education and Arts
Faculty of Education and Arts
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
Published as green open access
License
File Access
Open
Controlled
Controlled