By Heewoon Bae, Analyst, OECD Directorate for Education and Skills
Although subject knowledge is of fundamental importance for teachers, a great teacher is far more than a walking encyclopedia. Knowing how to solve mathematical problems does not mean you know how to teach problem-solving skills to a roomful of students (and make it fun at the same time). Similarly, knowing the history of World War Two does not enable a teacher to assess students’ understanding of the period, or how to respond if they suspect ChatGPT has written the homework.
Teachers’ subject knowledge is complemented by their knowledge of instruction, learning and assessment – also known as general pedagogy. The results from the recent Teacher Knowledge Survey, which assessed teachers’ general pedagogical knowledge (GPK), show that teachers with more GPK spend more class time on actual teaching and learning and less time on discipline or administrative tasks. In countries where teachers have higher GPK scores, students tend to have better mathematics and reading scores in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).
Having pedagogical knowledge can also support teacher well-being. For example, the survey data show that teachers with more pedagogical knowledge tend to report less stress from student behaviour in most countries. This is likely because teachers can limit the amount of disruptive behaviour in their classrooms. Teachers who know more about general pedagogy are also less stressed by pressures related to accountability, supporting diverse learning needs, adapting to reforms, and keeping up with professional learning.
So how are teachers supported to develop their pedagogical knowledge? For many teachers, their initial teacher education will be the first time that they are introduced to pedagogical theories and practice. But for some teachers, studying for their initial qualifications may not even involve any pedagogical studies. Nearly half of the teachers in Saudi Arabia said they entered teaching with only subject-specific qualifications, according to the Teaching and Learning International Survey. In Morocco, one in five teachers similarly said they entered teaching with subject-specific training.
In several cases, we can see the importance of integrating pedagogical training into initial teacher education in the results of the Teacher Knowledge Survey. Teachers with only subject-specific qualifications have lower GPK than those with regular initial teacher training in all countries; this relationship is significantly significant in Croatia, Chile and Portugal.
In some countries, differences in scores are not statistically significant, though this may be due to diverse reasons. On the one hand, it might be that teachers from subject-specific training pathways receive sufficient support to develop their GPK after their entry into the profession. More troubling is the possibility that the lack of differences stems from issues with the preparation provided in regular teacher training courses.
Although the Teacher Knowledge Survey does not tell us how to design initial teacher education, it shows us that teachers’ competences can vary according to the pathway that they took into the profession. It is an important reminder that teacher education programmes need to be well-balanced, supporting teachers to build a solid pedagogical knowledge base regardless of their entry pathway. Policymakers should bear this in mind when reviewing requirements for initial teacher education or designing new pathways into teaching, especially in the context of teacher shortages and recruitment. Pedagogical expertise is what sets teachers apart as professionals in their field. Supporting its development will have clear benefits for both students and teachers.
