Pedagogical Content Knowledge of Prospective Mathematics Teachers: A Gender-Based Analysis

Abstract

Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is an important component of teacher knowledge because it concerns the ways in which subject matter is understood and transformed for teaching and learning. The present study examined the pedagogical content knowledge of prospective mathematics teachers and specifically investigated whether their PCK differed by gender. A survey method was adopted, and 566 prospective mathematics teachers from Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu were selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using an adapted Pedagogical Content Knowledge Scale developed by Michael J. Leo and Annaraja. The instrument covered nine dimensions: philosophy and sociology, classroom management, curriculum and instruction, methodology, techniques, technology, psychology, evaluation, and content knowledge. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the levels of PCK, and an independent-samples t test was used to examine gender differences. The findings indicated that most prospective mathematics teachers demonstrated moderate levels of PCK across the dimensions. No statistically significant gender difference was found in philosophy and sociology, classroom management, curriculum and instruction, methodology, technology, psychology, evaluation, or overall PCK. However, statistically significant gender differences were reported in techniques and content knowledge, with female prospective mathematics teachers obtaining higher mean scores than male prospective mathematics teachers. The findings highlight the need for mathematics teacher-education programmes to provide systematic opportunities for developing both subject-specific knowledge and pedagogical techniques.