Pedagogical content knowledge in written educational plans in the school-age educare setting

This study focuses on written educational plans in the school-age educare (SAEC) setting. The purpose of the study is to add to knowledge about planning in the SAEC setting. The study also focuses on how SAEC teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge could be understood through written educational plans. The material in the study includes written plans from four different SAEC centres. The plans are analysed using concepts from the theoretical framework in the study; pedagogical content knowledge. The results show how curricular knowledge, subject matter knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and contextual knowledge are identified in the written educational plans in two themes: from content to activity plans and children’s influence plans. The results show descriptions in the written educational plans of how content is transformed into teaching situations and activities. It also shows how children’s influence is identified as both content of the plan and as a teaching strategy within the plan. Teaching in the SAEC setting is a complex issue involving goal-oriented activities, activities with children’s influence as a starting point, and teaching in the informal open space. (DIPF/Orig.)