Transforming subject knowledge:drama student-teachers and the pursuit of pedagogical content knowledge

For many prospective teachers of drama, passion for their subject is a highly motivating force. In this paper I seek to shed light on the process by which personal constructs of drama as a subject are transformed during a period of teacher education, and answer key questions about the ways in which drama student-teachers develop their pedagogical knowledge. I draw upon a research project undertaken at Goldsmiths, University of London, UK, using questionnaires and interviews with three cohorts of student-teachers at various points during their studies. The findings point to a complex interplay between prior and on-course experiences in shaping the student-teachers’ positions about the body of subject knowledge they are required to know and apply. The study also highlights the importance of subject knowledge as the frame within which pedagogical content knowledge is constructed, a relationship that is not properly recognised within the current competencies-based model of teacher education.