Primary School Teachers' PCK Development for Modeling-Based Instruction: A Knowledge Exchange Perspective within a Professional Learning Community

Scientia Socialis Ltd. 29 K. Donelaicio Street, LT-78115 Siauliai, Republic of Lithuania. e-mail: scientia@scientiasocialis.lt; e-mail: mail.jbse@gmail.com; Web site: http://www.scientiasocialis.lt/jbse/

Y

21

Elementary School Teachers; Pedagogical Content Knowledge; Communities of Practice; Science Instruction; Inquiry; Active Learning; Models; Faculty Development; Foreign Countries

1648-3898
2538-7138

Supporting primary school teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) development for modeling-based instruction (MBI) remains a key challenge in science teacher education. Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) offer a promising context for this professional growth. This study examined the PCK development processes of three primary school teachers with varying experience levels as they participated in five MBI-focused PLC sessions. PCK changes were traced using an integrated analytical framework that combined the Interconnected Model of Teacher Professional Growth (IMTPG) with the Refined Consensus Model (RCM). Findings revealed positive growth across PCK components, though pathways varied. While curriculum knowledge development was often characterized by refinement based on prior knowledge (change sequences), growth in knowledge of student understanding, instructional strategies, and assessment typically demonstrated more complex, interconnected growth networks involving dynamic knowledge exchange, shaped by interactions among personal, collective, and enacted PCK, as well as individual orientations. The study highlights the potential of PLCs as spaces for practice-based learning, supporting sustained PCK development, and demonstrates the utility of the combined IMTPG-RCM framework for analyzing the nuances of teacher growth over time.

As Provided

2026

EJ1492290