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Teachers' Reflections on Their Subject Matter Knowledge Structures and Their Influence on Classroom Practice
Author(s) -
Bartos Stephen A.,
Lederman Norman G.,
Lederman Judith S.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
school science and mathematics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.135
H-Index - 2
eISSN - 1949-8594
pISSN - 0036-6803
DOI - 10.1111/ssm.12058
Subject(s) - subject matter , congruence (geometry) , mathematics education , thematic analysis , psychology , subject (documents) , pedagogy , computer science , qualitative research , sociology , social psychology , curriculum , social science , library science
Research has indicated that experts' subject matter knowledge structures ( SMKS s) differ from those of novices in that they contain more cross‐linking, interconnections, and overarching thematic elements, characteristics that are in accordance with those espoused in current reform documents. Unfortunately, teachers' SMKS s are not necessarily translated into classroom practice, for either novice or more experienced classroom teachers. A means to facilitate the translation of teachers' SMKS s into practice would ensure that those desired characteristics of experts' subject matter knowledge manifest themselves in teachers' classroom practice. Four experienced physics teachers diagrammed their SMKS s, which were then compared to those inferred from their classroom practice. Prior to instruction, two teachers, as part of the explicit‐reflective treatment, were asked to reflect at multiple time points on congruence between their SMKS s and classroom practice focusing on the presence of essential concepts, interconnections, and overarching thematic elements. No discernible difference was apparent between control and treatment groups, as teachers from both groups showed a high‐degree of congruence between inferred and diagrammed SMKS s. Results further substantiate the challenges in identifying a means for both developing and facilitating the enactment of coherent, connected, and dynamic SMKS s or, in effect, accelerating teachers' pedagogical content knowledge.