Facilitating development of pedagogical content knowledge among in-service teachers of English in continuing education
Abstract
The present qualitative study explores how continuing education courses within the national programme in Norway, Competence for Quality, can support the development of teachers’ English pedagogical content knowledge. The courses under study had a specific emphasis on learner-centred teaching approaches. To gather data, questionnaires were distributed to former students from two tertiary education institutions in Norway, followed by three focus group interviews. The results reveal a strong correlation between learner-centred teaching in continuing education and Desimone’s (2009) contextual framework of effective professional development. However, the study suggests an additional element to this framework: the teaching trial. Engaging in these practical trials allowed the teachers to experiment with new methods and strategies directly in the classroom. This hands-on experience was essential in enhancing their understanding and development of their pedagogical content knowledge of English. This, in turn, led to transformative changes in their teaching practices.
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