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Since the use of digital media opens new possibilities in physics education, pre-service teachers should develop pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) regarding digital media during teacher education. In the joint project DiKoLeP (German for: digital competencies of pre-service teachers in physics) of RWTH Aachen University, the University of Graz and the University of Tübingen, we therefore developed and implemented a university teaching concept with certain core elements to foster this digital-media PCK of pre-service physics teachers. The teaching concept was implemented as a university seminar at the three universities, considering the common core elements as well as individual curricular requirements. We evaluated the teaching concept in a pre-post-design with a recently developed knowledge test to measure digital-media PCK. Our findings indicated that the developed knowledge test is suitable to validly measure the digital-media PCK of pre-service physics teachers. Furthermore, first results of the empirical evaluation at the three participating universities showed a significant increase in students' digital-media PCK with a small-to-medium effect for students who attended the theoretical as well as the practical sessions of the seminar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's digital age, incorporating technology in teaching has become increasingly important. To prepare future teachers, understanding the factors that influence the development of teachers' corresponding knowledge base is crucial. However, not only is there a small number of studies investigating the development of pre-service teachers' professional knowledge, but these studies also predominantly rely on cross-sectional and/or self-reported data. This pre-post study investigated the factors associated with the development of digital media Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) in physics teacher education through a seminar-based approach with N = 66 pre-service teachers (PSTs). Investigated factors include PSTs' PCK about students' conceptions (PCK-SC), general motivation to use digital media, interest in digital media, and previous experience with digital media. The findings suggest that a strong foundation in various aspects of PCK is essential for the development of digital media PCK, as PSTs' PCK-SC has proven to be a positive predictor for the development of PTSs' digital media PCK. Surprisingly, the study found that higher motivation to use digital media negatively affects the development of digital media PCK, suggesting that excessive motivation may hinder the acquisition of digital media PCK. Additionally, the study found that PSTs' interest in digital media positively influenced the development of digital media PCK, while previous experience with digital media had a negative impact on its development. The study suggests that future research should focus on investigating the general professional knowledge of PSTs and identifying the proficiency levels of PCK needed for the development of digital media PCK. It also emphasizes the importance of considering both, cognitive and affective aspects of teacher preparation, as seminars that solely focus on motivation may not be adequate in fostering effective technology integration. The study recommends that seminars on digital media integration should be situated at later stages of teacher education or after introductory courses that cover other facets of PCK. Furthermore, integrated seminars addressing multiple facets of PCK alongside digital media PCK could be explored in future research. Overall, this study provides insights into the factors influencing PSTs' development of digital media PCK and suggests avenues for further research to improve the integration of digital media in teaching practices for enhanced student learning outcomes. • Pre-post study investigating the development of digital media PCK in seminars. • Digital media PCK was measured using an established, validated test. • Analysis was conducted in a Bayesian framework using Bayesian multiple regression. • PCK about student's conceptions and interest positively predicted digital media PCK. • Motivation to use digital media and previous experience with digital media negatively predicted digital media PCK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]