Background/Purpose Ball et al. (2008) categorized knowledge for teaching into two domains: Common Content Knowledge (CCK) and Specialized Content Knowledge (SCK). As a general rule CCK can be viewed as knowing how to perform an activity and SCK as knowing how to teach CCK (e.g., teaching progressions). Recent research has shown that many teachers do not acquire SCK sufficiently well enough to teach (Lee, 2010; Kim 2011).
Method We examined the extent to which CK classes include CCK and SCK in 77 PETE programs in Belgium, Germany, China, England, Turkey, and the United States. Given the significant differences in the number of higher education institutions in PETE in each country, we used purposeful and maximum variation sampling across a range of program sizes. We examined teacher education programs course of study, sample syllabi, and used short questionnaires to answer our research questions. Our data are reported descriptively.
Analysis/Results Our data show that within and across the countries we studied, PETE programs use their majors activity classes to emphasize performing the activity and the knowledge that has been developed has been CCK, rather than SCK.
Conclusions Our findings support a widespread assumption in PETE that: “To teach an activity, you must be able to perform the activity.” Our data suggest that SCK is underdeveloped in the curricula we examined and that activity classes should focus on the twin goals of CCK and SCK development.
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