1. South Africa and New Zealand
TECHNOLOGY TEACHERS’ PEDAGOGICAL CONTENT KNOWLEDGE:
South Africa and New Zealand
P John Williams
Centre for Science and Technology
Education Research
University of Waikato
Mishack T Gumbo
Department of Further
Teacher Education
University of South Africa

2. INTRODUCTION Collaborative comparative study between SA & NZ
SA & NZ have recently experienced curriculum transformation and change.
Introduced TE: NZ in 1997
SA in 1998
TE reviews: NZ in 2007
SA in 2000 & 2009
parallel processes

3. RESEARCH QUESTION Research question:
What is secondary technology teachers’ PCK?
Sub-questions re to:
nature and purpose of technology education
knowledge of their technology education curriculum
understand the nature of technology
pedagogies suitable to technology teaching
assessment
teaching and learning resources
indigenous technology

4. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Initial concept of PCK: 1986 by Lee Shulman
PCK: special attributes that a teacher possesses, that help him/her to guide a student to understand content in a manner that is personally meaningful (Shulman, 1987)
Shulman – Seven-part classification of teacher knowledge:
knowledge of subject matter
pedagogical content knowledge
general pedagogical knowledge
knowledge of curriculum
knowledge of learners and their characteristics
knowledge of educational context
knowledge of educational aims, purposes and values

5. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Other variations:
Cochran, King & Reuter (1991) – four elements
Magnusson, Krajcik and Borko (1999) – five elements
Gumbo (2000); Maluleka, Wilkinson & Gumbo (2006) – western and indigenous forms of technology
Veal & MaKinster (1999); Smith & Neale (1989)
Mishra & Koehler (2006) - TPCK

6. RESEARCH DESIGN Comparative case study design:
a powerful tool, credibility gained through repeated observation (Pieterson, 2005) .
effective concept-formation by bringing into focus suggestive similarities and contrasts among cases (Collier, 1993).
Data collection:
Structured interviews, observation and document review
Sample of 8 technology teachers – one teacher in each of eight schools

7. DATA ANALYSIS
Analysis guided by strategy of Marshall & Rossman (1999):
1: Reframing (focus on the purpose of study)
2: Listen to recorded data to verify transcripts and read data once without trying to develop themes or codes.
3: Re-read data and take preliminary notes, beginning to organize them into themes.
4: Re-read data further to develop more detailed codes within codes while highlighting relevant quotes.
5: remove text related to certain themes and reassemble by codes.

8. Case studies NZ urban boys school
700 students
Tr: late 50’s, teaching 20 years, ex-mechanic
rural school, 700 students Tr: late 50’s, teaching for 10 years, ex- mechanic
urban school, 1100 students
Tr: mid 40’s, teaching 10 years, recent leave to update quals
small town school 1000 students
Tr: late 50’s, teaching 30 years, 7 teachers in department

9. Case studies SA

10. Findings Nature and purpose of technology education
Both countries re to national context
SA: minimize foreign dependency (practical)
NZ: small country, little manufacturing, so need to be creative and inventive (cognitive)

11. Findings Nature and purpose of technology education
Technological knowledge:
SA: teaching new knowledge based on curriculum and text book sequence
NZ: new knowledge taught when there is a practical application

12. Findings Knowledge of the curriculum
all teachers aware, to varying degrees
limited understanding used alternative organizers:
NZ: voc standards
SA: textbook

13. Findings Knowledge of the curriculum Progression planning
NZ: technology available to Yr 13, so often long term planning
SA: v limited upper secondary offerings, so concern more for covering topics

14. Findings Technology education pedagogies
both countries referred to a practical-theory dichotomy
SA – v difficult to do practical activities, though recognized as important
NZ – almost the reverse

15. Findings Assessment Diverse and inconsistent in both countries
group assessment was a common feature
SA: tends to be tests and exams
NZ: projects and portfolios

16. Findings Resources books common in SA, not in NZ
most tech teachers in SA, not trained as such, so dependant for ideas
professional assoc support in NZ, not in SA
more consistency of school resources in NZ
SA students typically supply own materials
SA teachers feel Tech is not treated seriously

17. Findings Indigenous technology
little more in SA than NZ (a content area in SA curriculum)
diversity of indigenous backgrounds cited as impediment
superficial (some posters, artistic design)
not strategically addressed

18. SA NZ most diversity: resources little impact on PCK
PCK modified by the context
philosophical approach
clearly general in SA
voc – gen dichotomy in NZ