The knowledge base of subject matter experts in teaching : A case study of a professional scientist as a beginning teacher

Journal article


Diezmann, Carmel M. and Watters, James J.. (2015). The knowledge base of subject matter experts in teaching : A case study of a professional scientist as a beginning teacher. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education. 13(6), pp. 1517-1537. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-014-9561-x
AuthorsDiezmann, Carmel M. and 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.

Keywordsbeginning teachers; career change; contextual knowledge; pedagogical content knowledge; science teaching; scientist; STEM; subject matter knowledge
Year2015
JournalInternational Journal of Science and Mathematics Education
Journal citation13 (6), pp. 1517-1537
PublisherSpringer
ISSN1571-0068
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-014-9561-x
Scopus EID2-s2.0-84949101291
Open accessPublished as green open access
Page range1517-1537
FunderAustralian Research Council (ARC)
Author's accepted manuscript
License
All rights reserved
File Access Level
Open
Publisher's version
License
All rights reserved
File Access Level
Controlled
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online11 Jun 2014
Publication process dates
Accepted21 May 2014
ARC Funded ResearchThis output has been funded, wholly or partially, under the Australian Research Council Act 2001
Grant IDDP0984349
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