Mapping expertise in social science teaching: the professional development of a beginning teacher

Abstract

This paper reports on a longitudinal study of a preservice teacher, Johannes, as he moved from his 4th (and final year) year of teacher education studies in an urban university in Australia, to his first year of Social Science teaching in a secondary school. From the outset of the study Johannes indicated a passion, commitment and understandings of good social science teaching. The study used concept mapping and think aloud protocol to elicit Johannes' evolving understandings over a twelve-month period. The findings indicate that he was well on his way to becoming an accomplished teacher in the social sciences. Johannes acknowledged that the concept mapping exercises assisted him in reflecting on his knowledge structures and facilitated him in making explicit his implicit understandings of classroom teaching