Study on the Development Pathways for Preservice Early Childhood Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge in the Social Domain

Social Domain Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) encompasses three components: subject-specific content knowledge, early childhood pedagogy, and teaching methodology. Presently, the cultivation of social domain PCK among pre-service early childhood educators in China faces challenges including an overemphasis on theoretical knowledge, fragmented understanding of learners' cognitive development, and outdated teaching methodologies. To enhance pre-service early childhood teachers' PCK in the social domain, higher education institutions should adhere to the principle of integrating theory with practice, emphasise core experiences in the social domain, and refine curriculum content development. They should establish a consortium of placement bases to highlight the pedagogical nature of pre-service education, and implement a multi-dimensional assessment approach that balances theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and innovation.