Qualitative und quantitative Verknüpfung von Fachwissen, Fachdidaktik und Schulpraxis in der ersten Phase der fachdidaktischen Biologielehrerbildung : empirische Untersuchung zu Qualität und Nachhaltigkeit der Biologielehrerausbildung in der ehemaligen DDR

This investigation focuses on the implementation of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in Biology teacher education as a key stone for the development of professional knowledge at university. Pupils’ learning outcomes in international tests such as the IQB1-study 2012 (Pant et al. 2013) and Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA, OECD 2016) have revealed that students from East German provinces achieve better results than their West German counterparts in Biology. Given a relation between – teacher education - teacher activity in the classroom - pupils’ learning outcomes – there might have been a difference in the teacher education at universities in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR), which has a positive effect on pupils’ learning outcomes. Therefore, an analysis of documents related to preservice teacher education at universities of the former GDR has been undertaken. The analysis proves that the scientists of Fachdidaktik Biology in the former GDR had developed a theoretical framework of PCK in Biology which was successfully integrated into the course curriculum of pre-service Biology teachers. Interviews with in-service Biology teachers and a survey developed based on categories extracted from these interviews were conducted. These investigations have shown that three key elements are highly rated by today’s in-service teachers of Biology: The implementation of the PCK framework in connection with CK, interlinked with reflected practical courses at school in pre-service Biology teacher education. Findings are discussed in relation to the current discussions concerning PCK and pre-service teacher education. The described implementation is suggested to constitute a viable means of improving the sustainability of Biology teacher education. Based on the findings presented here the PCK-Model developed by Park & Oliver (2008) in terms of “Knowledge of Instructional Strategies and Representations for Teaching Science” was extended here laying the focus on teaching Biology. 1 Institut für Qualitätsentwicklung