The Development Of Pedagogic Content Knowledge Of University English Teacher Educators In China

Pedagogic Content Knowledge(PCK)is one of several heated focal points of research on professional development for educators.Based on cognitive and social constructive theories,this research follows Schulman's and the ensuing evolved models of PCK to identify the factors which make up and influence university English teacher educators' PCK in China.Three questions are addressed:(1)What constitutes English teacher educators' PCK,What is the web of elements/status quo?(2)What are the sources? How do teacher educators develop their PCK? How does the knowledge evolve? and(3)What factors influence their knowledge development? What does the process of knowledge development for teachers involve?To answer these questions,the researcher adopts an exploratory and interpretive approach,using both quantitative and qualitative methods to collect and analyze data by conducting interviews with several focus groups and distributing a questionnaire to 198 respondents across China.Regarding RQ1,the results show that educators' perceived PCK is quite inconsistent between various groups of educators.Demographically,there is wide gap between educators of different tiers of universities,and moderate differences between the different categories of universities.Secondly,among the components of PCK,university teacher educators lack the knowledge required for the dual roles of English teacher and teacher educator.The latter is comparatively weaker.The components of PCK KES,KEC,PK,KV/E KL are interrelated,but not close and balanced in most cases.For RQ2,results show that PCK of university English teacher educators in China typically is relatively theory-orientated rather than practice-based.This is because English teacher educators are English teachers.Language skills courses or English pedagogy courses are mostly basic content and English language is both the mea ns and ends in their teaching.Additionally,the initial fragmentary and unbalanced PCK,or false PCK,has progressive and ongoing growth along three different patterns.The first is the “Ivory Tower Pattern”,which includes English teacher educators from language-based universities who focus on language skills and cultural background,but lack close connection with the forefront schoolteachers and practical experience of real site schools.The second,“Top-Down Pattern”,includes educators from comprehensive universities who have ‘top down' features with English as the tool.These educators strictly follow the curriculum but they lack contextual knowledge of the actual school setting.Finally,the third,“Education–oriented Pattern”,includes university English educators from teaching or normal universities who,to some extent,are aware of their role as teacher educators,but need more comprehensive professional development.Also regarding RQ2,self-inquiry,professional study,and practical experience on the job are found to be the main sources of PCK and become the most effective routes for development.Pursuing degrees and interaction in the academic community are also important sources.However,formal entry-level service training and apprentice observation do not contribute meaningfully to the development of PCK.Finally,results for RQ3 also show that the factors influencing PCK development are mainly personal,such as a teacher's individual learning ability,educational background,their attitude towards and values related to academic work,and the quality of information technology available to them,which together accounts for 21.023% of variation.This is most likely because a typical university English educator is a postgraduate degree holder and has the initiative and ability to improve.This corresponds with the key pathways of development noted above.However,there is a close context factor which obstructs PCK development—i.e.,the promotion and evaluation system in the working institutions,the platform provided by the university where they can fully actualize their potential,and the conflict between research and teaching as well as the personal factor such as personal income,Based on these results,the author offers four suggestions.First,future research should seek to clarify the goal,or standards of PCK development in English teacher education between the three patterns respectively from the macro level of the government and more specific micro level universities.Official government committees need to break the isolation of institutions,schools and universities and guarantee access to the research data,documents,and first-hand information in the schools.Additionally,institutions should develop and standardize explicit entry and graduation requirements.Second,university teacher educators need to bridge the gap between their theoretical knowledge and the realities of classroom teaching.They need to keep close contact with the backbone teachers and the forefront English teachers and collaborate and work out the teaching syllabus.Third,English teacher educators from the education programs of any tier or category of universities need to cooperate and communicate with each other and enhance common development.Finally,universities should attach greater importance to the development of teacher educators' PCK and their classroom teaching ability,and assign credits in the promotion and evaluation system accordingly.