Teachers' explanations of classroom events: Knowledge and beliefs about teaching civics and citizenship

Recent international and local interest in civics and citizenship education stimulated this pilot study of teachers' knowledge in Sydney, Australia. Four teachers implemented an especially developed four week unit of work at the upper primary school level on the needs, rights and responsibilities of children. The lessons were videotaped and stimulated recall interviews held with the teachers each week. Case studies were written on each teacher and cross-case analysis of interview responses led to the identification of seven main themes, four of which approximate categories of teacher knowledge suggested in previous research. Further analysis gave rise to five propositions about the acquisition and usage of teacher knowledge. It is argued that validation of those propositions would have important implications for teacher education and professional development and for the development of teaching resources. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.