Beginning history teachers’ enactment of pedagogical content knowledge through content decision-making

Abstract

Pedagogical Content Knowledge exists in some capacity in every teacher. It is more well-developed as the wisdom in practice informs it. In their capacity as curriculum gatekeepers, teachers enact their PCK as they decide which content to teach. But what knowledge is of most worth? How do teachers employ the structures unique to their disciplines as they make decisions about what content to teach? This study examines the earliest enactment of pedagogical content knowledge of three, beginning history teachers via what content they decide to teach, and how they organize the content to bring sense to it as they prepare it for learners.