Professional development strategies of out-of-field STEAM teachers in Austrian middle schools
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22430366 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Melanie Gürentz (0009-0005-6446-0182, University of Graz, corresponding author), Kathrin Otrel-Cass (0000-0003-2027-0772, University of Graz) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-20 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-08 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Professional Development in Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1941-5257 • E-ISSN: 1941-5265 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/19415257.2026.2641594 |
| OpenAlex | W7134190980 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 34 |
Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is the knowledge that teachers need to effectively present content to students. PCK is needed in every subject, including when teachers teach out-of-field (OOF) subjects despite not having received subject-specific training. When teachers work OOF without adequate content knowledge, their PCK is likely to be underdeveloped, which may negatively impact their students’ learning and leave teachers feeling uncertain regarding their professional identity. In Austria, OOF teaching has become a strategy to address teacher shortages especially in STEAM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) in middle (secondary) schools. This study aimed to explore how teachers cope with OOF teaching and to identify the professional development opportunities and strategies they use to develop their PCK. Data were collected through a series of individual interviews with six Austrian middle school teachers, field notes, and classroom observations. The interviews were analysed from a social constructionist perspective using inductive reflexive thematic analysis and the theoretical concept of PCK. We identified three themes: (1) Access to Quality Teaching Materials, (2) Colleague Support Networks, and (3) Limited Opportunities for Formal Professional Development. The interviews revealed a gap in formal professional development opportunities specifically for Austrian OOF middle school teachers.
Continuing professional development · Faculty Development · Professional development · Professional learning community · Professional studies · Educational Research and Pedagogy · Teaching and Learning Programming · Vocational Education and Training
Social Constructionism
How Does Professional Development Improve Teaching?
Teacher education around the world
Thematic Analysis
Impact of a national professional development programme for out-of-field teachers of mathematics in Ireland
Motivation of out-of-field teachers for participating in professional development courses in mathematics
Supporting science teachers teaching outside specialism
Those Who Understand
An examination of the professional development needs of out-of-field mathematics teachers
Using thematic analysis in psychology
Knowledge and Teaching
The social constructionist movement in modern psychology
Teacher professional development in Teaching and Teacher Education over ten years
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |