PCK Grain Size in the 21st Century - Pedagogical Content Knowledge

Aug 21, 2026

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Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is discipline-specific, and the paper examines how its “grain size” must evolve as science education shifts toward inter- and transdisciplinary themes. With 21st-century skills such as digital literacy, critical thinking, creativity, and communication becoming central, teachers must adapt discipline-bound teaching methods. The paper presents toy cases to illustrate how inter- and transdisciplinary science education changes teachers’ PCK and to refine the grain size approach accordingly.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages28

Reading Time1 h 11 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

21st-century scientific challenges and collaboration

Definitions: multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary

21st-century skills and teacher knowledge

Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and grain sizes

Shulman’s PCK and transfer to students

Science education as a context for 21st-century skills

PCK Grain Size in the 21st Century William Veal The University ofCharleston Jan Sermeus KU Leuven & Royal Observatory ofBelgium ABSTRACT Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is specific to a given discipline, such as science. For example, the knowledge that a physics teacher has is different than the knowledge that a chemistry teacher has. This concept was refined with the introduction of different grain sizes of PCK that include domain-specific and topic-specific PCK. However, as was discussed during the 2024 Lorentz workshop on 21st-century science education, science teaching, learning, and understanding are becoming focused on broader issues that require knowledge and understanding outside of traditional disciplines. Furthermore, the focus on 21st-century skills (e.g., digital literacy, critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration and communication) necessitates students adapting to how they learn and embracing inter-and transdisciplinary approaches to solving societal issues. The new skills and nature of scientific knowledge will impact the PCK of 21st-century science teachers in that science teachers must be prepared to adapt their discipline-specific content knowledge and teaching methods to include inter-and transdisciplinary approaches. The purpose of this paper is to present toy cases as a tool to illustrate the impact of inter-and transdisciplinary science education on teachers’ PCK, to address 21st-century skills, and to refine the grain size approach to PCK. Keywords: pedagogical content knowledge, grain size, science teacher preparation Introduction Given the complexity and wickedness of the global and local scientific challenges that society faces in the 21st-century (e.g., climate change, energy, water, AI, and global health), there are calls for more collaboration between natural science disciplines (e.g., Weart, 2013) and for collaboration of the natural sciences with the humanities (e.g., Marcoci et al., 2023) . Moreover, the complex societal challenges and the inter-and transdisciplinary approach needed to address them require that scientists develop and utilize collaboration and communication skills, critical thinking, creativity and flexibility, digital and data literacy, and problem-solving skills (i.e., 21st-century skills). The complex societal challenges, the inter- and transdisciplinary approach to (natural) sciences, and the required development of 21st-century skills are not just limited to science but also impact science education. The purpose of this paper is to utilize toy cases, an adaptation from toy-models and gedankenexperiments from physics (Redish, 2021), to highlight the knowledge bases required by teachers when teaching inter- and transdisciplinary topics, including socio-scientific issues, and to develop students’ 21st-century skills. Indeed, natural sciences are increasingly going beyond disciplinary boundaries in two ways. On the one hand, there is increasing interdisciplinary collaboration between the natural sciences. For example, there is research in physical chemistry/chemical physics, biochemical engineering, geophysics, computational mathematics, chip-based biosensors, and environmental science. On the other hand, the natural sciences also draw on other fields, such as public health and the humanities, and work in transdisciplinary fields of study. Examples include researchers involved in psychoacoustics, medical nuclear physics, urban studies (combining geography, architecture, history, and sports science), and disaster preparedness and response. Klein (2010) employed a typology from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to define multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary. Multidisciplinary teaching offers distinct methods and perspectives for examining a theme, allowing disciplines to remain separate. Interdisciplinary teaching integrates knowledge, theories, and methods from multiple traditional disciplines (e.g.,

FAQs

What does grain size mean in pedagogical content knowledge (PCK)?

Grain size refers to different levels of PCK, including domain-specific and topic-specific knowledge, tailored to a discipline such as science.

Why must science teachers’ PCK change for 21st-century education?

Science teaching increasingly addresses broader inter- and transdisciplinary societal issues and emphasizes 21st-century skills, requiring teachers to incorporate approaches beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries.

How does the paper use toy cases in relation to teacher PCK?

The paper uses toy cases to illustrate the impact of inter- and transdisciplinary science education on teachers’ PCK, while also refining the grain size framework.

Aug 21, 2026

Upload by Mia