Pre-service secondary teachers' pedagogical content knowledge for the teaching of mathematical modelling

The article deals with the pedagogical content knowledge of mathematical modelling as part of the professional competence of pre-service teachers. With the help of a test developed for this purpose from a conceptual model, we examine whether this pedagogical content knowledge can be promoted in its different facets-especially knowledge about modelling tasks and about interventions-by suitable university seminars. For this purpose, the test was administered to three groups in a seminar for the teaching of mathematical modelling: (1) to those respondents who created their own modelling tasks for use with students, (2) to those trained to intervene in mathematical modelling processes, and (3) participating students who are not required to address mathematical modelling. The findings of the study-based on variance analysis-indicate that certain facets (knowledge of modelling tasks, modelling processes, and interventions) have increased significantly in both experimental groups but to varying degrees. By contrast, pre-service teachers in the control group demonstrated no significant change to their level of pedagogical content knowledge.

Automated summary

The article examines the pedagogical content knowledge of mathematical modelling among pre-service teachers through university seminars. Results show that specific facets related to modelling tasks, processes, and interventions have significantly increased in experimental groups, while no significant change was observed in the control group.