Exploring the Complexities of Describing Foundation Phase Teachers' Professional Knowledge Base

Autor/inn/en	Bertram, Carol; Christiansen, Iben; Mukeredzi, Tabitha
Titel	Exploring the Complexities of Describing Foundation Phase Teachers' Professional Knowledge Base
Quelle	In: South African Journal of Childhood Education, 5 (2015) 1, S.169-190 (22 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2223-7674
Schlagwörter	Knowledge Base for Teaching; Literacy; African Languages; Misconceptions; Teacher Certification; Tests; Pedagogical Content Knowledge; Learning Processes; Decision Making; Teaching Methods; Teacher Attitudes; Elementary School Teachers; Primary Education; Foreign Countries; English (Second Language); Mathematics Skills; Barriers; Daily Living Skills; Teacher Evaluation; South Africa + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Teaching theory; Theory of teaching; Unterrichtstheorie; Alphabetisierung; Schreib- und Lesefähigkeit; Africa; Language; Languages; Afrika; Sprachen; Afrikanische Sprache; Missverständnis; Examination; Prüfung; Examen; Pädagogische Kompetenz; Learning process; Lernprozess; Decision-making; Entscheidungsfindung; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Lehrerverhalten; Elementary school; Teacher; Teachers; Grundschule; Volksschule; Lehrer; Lehrerin; Lehrende; Primarbereich; Ausland; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Mathmatics achievement; Mathematics ability; Mathematische Kompetenz; Alltagsfertigkeit; Teacher appraisal; Lehrerbeurteilung; Südafrika; Süd-Afrika; Republik Südafrika; Südafrikanische Republik
Abstract	The purpose of this paper is to engage with the complexities of describing teachers' professional knowledge and eventually also their learning through written tests. The bigger research aim is to describe what knowledge foundation phase teachers acquired during their two years of study towards the Advanced Certificate of Teaching (ACT). We designed a written test to investigate the professional knowledge that teachers bring with them when they enrol for the ACT, with the aim of comparing their responses to the same test two years later, when they had completed the programme. The questionnaire included questions on teachers' content knowledge; their pedagogical content knowledge (in particular, teachers' knowledge about learner misconceptions, stages of learning, and ways of engaging these in making teaching decisions); and their personal knowledge (such as their beliefs about how children learn and barriers to learning). It spanned the fields of literacy in English and isiZulu, numeracy, and general pedagogy. Eighty-six foundation phase teachers enrolled for the ACT at the University of KwaZulu-Natal completed the questionnaire, and their responses pointed us to further methodological issues. We discuss the assumptions behind the design of the test/ questionnaire, the difficulties in formulating relevant questions, and the problems of 'accessing' specific elements of teacher knowledge through this type of instrument. Our process shows the difficulties both in constructing questions and in coding the responses, in particular concerning the pedagogical content knowledge component for teachers from Grade R to Grade 3. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01