Reframing pedagogical content knowledge and topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge as dual frameworks for teaching and learning

This commentary re-conceptualized pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge (TSPCK) as dual frameworks that go beyond improving instructional delivery to actively shaping student outcomes in the context of 21<sup>st</sup> century education. Drawing on selected literature published between 2008 and 2024, the analysis includes studies that directly examine the relationship between PCK/TSPCK and student learning outcomes such as conceptual understanding, problem-solving, and cognitive engagement as well as those exploring their integration in digitally enhanced learning environments. Studies included 25 published articles that provided empirical or theoretical insight into how PCK/TSPCK supports adaptive pedagogy in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and excluded if they only discussed general teacher competence without linking to learner outcomes or digital contexts. The commentary argues that in technology-supported classrooms, PCK and TSPCK must be reframed as dynamic, learner-centered constructs essential for aligning instructional strategies with digital fluency and educational equity.