Mobilization and enrichment of Pedagogical Content Knowledge components through a continuing professional development experience for university Biology teachers

Abstract

Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) has been widely recognized as a central component of teachers' professional knowledge. Although numerous studies have examined PCK development among school teachers, research focusing on university science teachers remains limited, particularly regarding the impact of teacher professional development on their declarative PCK. This study explores how a teacher professional development course (TPD), explicitly designed around the five components of the pentagonal PCK model (Park & Oliver, 2008), contributed to the development of declarative PCK (pPCK) among university Biology teachers teaching topics within their own disciplines. A qualitative multiple-case study was conducted with four university Biology teachers who completed a TPD course specifically designed to promote reflection on teaching through the Content Representation (CoRe) instrument. Participants included teachers and teaching assistants with diverse teaching backgrounds and varying levels of pedagogical preparation. Throughout the course, each participant worked on a topic from their own teaching practice while progressively enriching an adapted CoRe questionnaire. Initial and final CoRes constituted the primary data sources. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis, coding responses according to the five components of the pentagonal PCK model: Orientations toward Teaching Science (OTS), Knowledge of Curriculum (KC), Knowledge of Students' Understanding (KSU), Knowledge of Instructional Strategies (KIS), and Knowledge of Assessment (KA). Semantic networks and frequency analyses were employed to examine the mobilization of PCK components, while the complexity of relationships among components was analyzed through progressively integrated connections (pairs, triads, quartets, and quintets). Results indicate that all participants developed their declarative PCK during the course. Development occurred through two complementary processes: the mobilization of individual PCK components and the enrichment of relationships among those components. Mobilization was evidenced by the incorporation of new categories within participants' semantic networks, particularly regarding teaching orientations, instructional strategies, and assessment. The greatest development occurred in Orientations toward Teaching Science, which became the most prominent and interconnected component across all participants. Enrichment was reflected in the emergence of increasingly complex relationships among PCK components in the final CoRes. Whereas initial responses were mainly characterized by isolated or simple pairwise connections, final responses showed the incorporation of triads, quartets, and, in one case, a fully integrated five-component relationship. These findings suggest a more coherent and integrated understanding of teaching specific biological topics following participation in the course. The findings support the idea that short, theoretically grounded teacher professional development experiences can foster meaningful development of declarative PCK among university Biology teachers, particularly those without formal pedagogical training. Although the study focused exclusively on declarative PCK and therefore cannot establish changes in enacted classroom practice, the observed mobilization and integration of PCK components constitute important indicators of professional learning and may represent a necessary precursor to instructional change. Furthermore, the study highlights the potential of the CoRe as both a research instrument and a professional learning tool for higher education teachers. Future research should complement declarative measures with classroom observations and longitudinal designs to investigate whether these conceptual transformations translate into changes in enacted PCK and student learning.