The OECD Teacher Knowledge Survey (TKS) is the first large-scale study of teachers’ general pedagogical knowledge with internationally comparable data from representative samples of teachers. In 2024, over 20 000 teachers from lower secondary schools in eight countries participated in this new optional module of the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS). Teachers completed an assessment of their general pedagogical knowledge and reported on their professional experiences, practices, and perceptions. The results provide policymakers and researchers with valuable insights into the importance of pedagogical knowledge, where to find it and how to support its development.
Results from the Teacher Knowledge Survey
What Teachers Know About General Pedagogy
Introduction
Knowledge of general pedagogy is linked to better student outcomes
In countries where teachers have higher scores in the TKS assessment of general pedagogical knowledge (GPK), 15-year-old students achieve better results in mathematics, on average. This may indicate that GPK is an important resource for teachers in creating effective teaching and learning environments. This can be seen in the way that teachers report using class time. Teachers with higher GPK report spending more time on actual teaching and learning.
More knowledgeable teachers report less stress in multiple areas
More knowledgeable teachers are often less likely to report stress from a range of workplace demands. This is particularly evident when looking at challenges related to intimidation from students, curriculum changes, and keeping up with professional learning. This supports the idea that GPK helps teachers cope with a broad range of job demands (whether directly or indirectly).
GPK tends to increase with teachers’ educational attainment
Teachers holding a bachelor’s degree consistently demonstrate higher GPK than teachers who do not. In Croatia, Portugal and South Africa, master’s graduates tend to have higher GPK than bachelor’s graduates.
