Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) about scientific reasoning in different groups of science teachers and its relation to other variables

Scientific reasoning (SR) is a major goal in science education and, hence, science teachers at various levels (i.e. elementary, secondary, and higher education) need pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of how to promote students’ SR competencies (i.e. PCKSR). However, because these teacher groups usually differ, e.g. regarding the curricula and learning goals the teachers pursue, it can be assumed that their PCKSR also differs from each other. To test this assumption, we used a multiple-choice instrument to assess the PCKSR of science teachers at elementary (n = 113) and secondary schools (n = 201), as well as teacher educators (n = 41). In addition, we conducted a regression analysis to investigate to what extent teachers’ PCKSR can be predicted by their epistemological beliefs about transmission, their openness to innovation, and their teaching experience. It was found that the groups differed significantly regarding their PCKSR. In addition, the considered variables predicted the PCKSR for each group differently. The results not only provide fundamental insights into how the PCKSR of different groups of teachers differs and how it can be predicted by related variables, but also on the development of PCKSR for practicing teachers as well as the assessment of PCK in general.