Influence of a content course and early field experience on preservice teachers' acquisition of content and pedagogical content knowledge

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of one content course and its follow-up early field experience (EFE) on preservice teachers' (PTs) acquisition of content knowledge (CK) and development of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The three specific sub-questions which guided data collection and analysis were (a) With what level of CK did PTs enter a PETE program?, (b) How did PTs acquire CK and develop PCK during the content course?, and (c) How did PTs acquire CK and develop PCK during the follow-up EFE connected with the content course? Participants were 16 PTs enrolled in the content course and EFE. Six qualitative techniques were employed to gather data. Data were analyzed using analytic induction and constant comparison. Findings indicated that the majority of the PTs who began the course with very little CK and no PCK acquired impressive levels of both forms of knowledge and were fairly successful in terms of teaching third grade children swimming and basic aquatic skills. Factors that enhanced the acquisition of CK and PCK were the course structure, pedagogical strategies used by the instructor, nature of the content, and the children who took part in the EFE. Factors that negated the effectiveness of the hybrid course were the level of PTs' CK at entry and the length of the EFE. PTs' acculturation either facilitated or negated the acquisition of both forms of knowledge depending on whether they began the course with coaching or teaching orientations. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries