Exploring the Pre-Service Science and Technology Teachers' Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) and Classroom Practices Involving the Topic of Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration

The purpose of this study was to explore the Pre-service Science and Technology Teachers' (PSTs) Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) and their teaching practices in real classroom settings involving the topic of photosynthesis and cellular respiration. This study also investigated the relationships among the components of PSTs' TPCK and practical knowledge in middle school classrooms. 41 randomly selected PSTs (19 females and 22 males) in their final semester in a science teacher education program participated in the study. Data were collected from multiple sources, including open-ended questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, lesson plans, drawings for the PSTs' TPCK and classroom observation protocol, video records and field notes for the PSTs' teaching practices in middle school science classrooms. After exploring the PSTs' TPCK, teaching practices of the PSTs in science classrooms in four public middle schools were investigated. Findings obtained from the data showed that PSTs were lack of sufficient conceptual knowledge and views on nature of science and hold general alternative conceptions. It was found that PSTs' understandings of students' learning difficulties and topic-specific technological knowledge were very low. Data related to the PSTs' teaching practices in the middle school science classrooms indicated a success rate of about 42% - 57%.