Amanda Berry

STEM Education, Science teacher learning and development, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Teacher Educator learning and development, Self-study of Teacher Education Practices, Teacher Research.

Amanda's research focuses on teacher knowledge development and how that knowledge is shaped and refined throughout teachers' professional life span. In particular, Amanda's work is directed towards two significant educational issues: the preparation of high quality science teachers and the work and learning of university science teacher educators. Amanda has a strong international profile in the field of science teacher education and is considered a leading scholar in research on science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Amanda's work in PCK is highly cited and includes journal articles, Handbook chapters and books. She has been involved in many research projects focusing on innovations designed to address the quality of teacher professional learning and enhance science teaaching and learning in schools and universities. 

Amanda is currently editor of the journal, Studying Teacher Education: A journal of self-study of teacher education practices, and Associate Editor of Research in Science Education. 

Amanda is a former secondary science teacher whose interest in students' science learning and the relationship between teaching and learning led her into a career in academia. Amanda gained her Masters in Education at Monash University (1997) through a study of the developing pedagogy of four preservice science teachers. Her PhD, also completed at Monash University (2005), extended her investigation of teacher learning through a longitudinal study of her own professional knowledge development as a biology teacher educator. Her study conceptualised a network of tensions that influence teacher educators' learning about their practice. Her 'tensions' work has been taken up and applied in the work of educators internationally. Alongside studies of teacher educator professional knowledge development, Amanda has worked with colleagues at Monash University and internationally, investigating the specialised expertise of science teachers, using the construct of Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). Through an extensive program of research, Amanda and her colleagues have developed specific tools for uncovering and representing science teachers' PCK that have been utilised by educators and researchers worldwide. 

After her initial appointment at Monash University (1999 – 2011) as a lecturer in biology/science education and classroom practice, Amanda took up a position at ICLON Graduate School of Education at Leiden University, the Netherlands (2012 – 2015) where she continued her research in science teacher knowledge as well as leading the ICLON bilingual teacher education program (World Teacher Program). In 2016, she returned to Australia, taking up a position as Professor of Education at RMIT University. In November 2017, Amanda was appointed to the Faculty of Education at Monash University as Professor of STEM Education.