Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is the unique combination of content and pedagogical knowledge that helps teachers transform science content into learning experiences for students (Shulman, 1986). It is a discipline-specific and topic-specific knowledge for teaching a certain subject. Shulman’s introduction of PCK has inspired numerous responses among educational scholars, resulting in diverse models of PCK (Grossman, 1990; Magnusson, Krajcik & Borko, 1999; Park & Oliver, 2008). In this study, Magnusson et al. (1999) PCK model was used as theoretical and analytical framework in terms of two components:

Knowledge of Learner (KoL): teachers’ knowledge and beliefs about prerequisite knowledge of students for learning specific scientific knowledge, students’ understanding and the science concepts that students find difficult to learn.

Knowledge of Instructional Strategies (KoIS): knowledge of science specific approaches, and topic-specific activities and representations.

Scholars focusing on teachers’ professional knowledge also dig into the sources of teachers’ PCK. The central sources are prior learning experiences, teacher education programs, and teaching experience (Grossman, 1990). Many researchers attributed teaching experience as the primary source of PCK development (Van Driel, de Jong, & Verloop, 2002; Grossman, 1990; Magnusson et al., 1999), while others emphasized that teaching experience alone does not lead necessarily to robust PCK (Friedrichsen et al., 2009; Leite, Mendoza & Borsese, 2005). Additionally, Morine-Dermshimer and Kent (1999) highlighted the role of personal beliefs and perceptions of teaching and learning in developing and shaping PCK. One of the personal beliefs affecting teachers’ practice is teacher efficacy that is teachers’ beliefs about their ability to enact effective teaching methods for specific teaching goals and was specific to classroom situations (Park & Oliver, 2008). In addition to be seen as a factor influencing teachers’ practice, Park and Oliver (2008) include self-efficacy in their PCK model as a component because it plays a critical role in defining problems and determining teaching strategies to solve the problems. Therefore, teacher efficacy has a strong effect on teaching effectiveness and PCK (Appleton, 2005). Along this line, teacher efficacy is evident as an affective affiliate of PCK and there is a bi-directional relationship between teacher efficacy and PCK (Park & Oliver, 2008).

According to Abell (2008), there have been a small number of studies focused on topic-specific PCK among chemistry teachers in the related literature. She critiqued that the studies mostly focused on prospective and novice teachers and much more studies of master teachers that describe the target of knowledge growth should be studied. Moreover, little is known about to what extend teaching experience and teacher efficacy matters concerning each PCK component.

In light of the literature indicating the gap regarding the teaching experience and teacher efficacy beliefs, this study intended to compare and contrast novice and experienced chemistry teachers’ PCK to understand how teaching experience and teacher efficacy influence their PCK regarding KoL and KoIS for teaching solution topic.

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