Semester of Graduation
Spring 2026
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Secondary and Middle Grades Education
Department
Bagwell College of Education
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Kim Cortes
Second Advisor
Michelle Head
Third Advisor
Brendan Callahan
Abstract
Science teachers working in Framework-aligned contexts are expected to facilitate student learning through the Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs), including the use of animated representations of unobservable phenomena. Despite the centrality of animations to instruction in topics such as phase changes and kinetic molecular theory, little is known about the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) teachers draw upon when responding to student interpretations of these representations. Using the Refined Consensus Model of PCK (RC Model of PCK) as the theoretical framework, this qualitative collective case study examined the enacted PCK of seven physical science and chemistry teachers in Georgia through a simulated instructional scenario involving an animated phase change phenomenon. Three findings emerged. First, knowledge of students functioned as the primary mediator of the integration of all the other PCK components. Second, the transformation of personal assessment knowledge into enacted assessment knowledge was constrained by systemic factors such as time and resource availability. Third, the recency of graduate education and professional learning, rather than its completion alone, appeared to influence how readily teachers incorporated this learning into their PCK. Respondents also demonstrated notable variability in the SEPs they incorporated, with several standards-embedded practices absent from teachers' responses entirely. Findings carry implications for teacher preparation, professional development, and future research into PCK and Framework-aligned science instruction.
Comments
This is a submission of my dissertation for early feedback to ensure correct formatting. This is not my final submission.