Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Subject Matter Content Knowledge: Is the Framework Still Relevant in Teaching of STEM

This paper takes a sociocultural perspective on the relevancy of Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Subject Matter Content knowledge in teaching and learning of STEM subjects. To teach learners according to today’s standards, teachers’ need to understand Pedagogical content Knowledge and subject matter content knowledge deeply and flexibly so they can help students create useful cognitive maps, relate to see how ideas connect across disciplines and to everyday life. Effective teaching and teacher characteristics, endorse clearly the role played by adequacy of teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Subject Matter Content Knowledge as applied in the classroom teaching and learning encounters. Most of the features of effective teachers and effective teaching as a process indicate the necessity of application of the theory of social constructivism, to enhance teachers’ knowledge about prior knowledge of students and their socioeconomic backgrounds. Qualitative research method using classroom observation were used to collect data. Population was made up of 10 teachers in the University of Technology in South Africa. The sample for this investigation was drawn using purposive sampling technique. Classroom observation was analysed using rubric. The overall findings indicates that Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Subject Matter Content Knowledge, enhanced educators’ professionalism and improved quality of teaching and learning outcomes, including motivational levels of both teachers and learners in the classroom. Specifically, Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Subject Matter Content Knowledge facilitate teaching effectiveness and learning efficiency in the teaching of STEM subjects in the University of Technology. It is therefore critical for the University of Technology that are engaged in the teacher programmes to visit how Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Subject Matter Content Knowledge are purposely incorporated into the training programmes. It showed that component of teacher Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Subject Matter Content Knowledge generally is beginning to enhance teaching, learning and assessment positively in the classroom.