Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) Development in Statistics Teaching: What Content Knowledge does Mathematics Teachers have and Demonstrate during Classroom Practice?

Abstract

This paper presents the findings on mathematics teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in statistics teaching. Six mathematics teachers were initially selected for the study based on their school’s performance over two years in the senior certificate examination in mathematics, and the four top scorers in the a conceptual knowledge exercise (CKE) in statistics were finally selected for this study . The study adopted a qualitative research method. The data on the teachers’ PCK were collected through lesson observations, questionnaires, interviews, video recordings, teachers’ written reports, and document analyses. The results of the study show that the teachers possess topic specific subject matter content knowledge and use of procedural and conceptual knowledge to teach statistics in school mathematics. The implications for mathematics education programmes are discussed.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n14p191