Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge Following In-service Training in Kenya

Abstract

This paper examines the extent to which a participant-centered in-service professional development program impacts on teachers' attitude towards their pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in relation to secondary school science teaching: purpose, approaches, lesson planning, limitations, and through practical work. Twenty-six (26) veteran teachers participated in in-service training workshop activities, on how to enhance secondary school science teaching, for two-weeks. Data were collected using validated pre-and post-training questionnaires. Means, standard deviations, and t-test procedures were used to analyze the data. The study found that there is positive change in teachers' attitude towards science teaching purpose (t = -2.27, .02 <  p < .05), science teaching approaches (t = -6.85, p < .001), science lesson planning (t = -10.62, p < .001), overcoming teaching limitations in science (t = -2.11, .02 < p< .05), conducting practical work in science (t = -2.71, .001< p < .01), and, in general, teaching science (t = -8.91, p < .001) after undergoing the in-service training program. The results have important implications on teachers' professional development programs, teacher educators, curriculum developers, curriculum implementation, and instructional supervision of science teachers.