Bulletin of the American Physical Society
2006 APS April Meeting
Saturday–Tuesday, April 22–25, 2006; Dallas, TX
Session P3: Innovative Programs in K-12 Teacher Preparation |
Hide Abstracts |
Sponsoring Units: FEd Chair: Ramon Lopez, Florida Institute of Technology Room: Hyatt Regency Dallas Landmark C |
Monday, April 24, 2006 10:45AM - 11:21AM |
P3.00001: The Team Model of PhysTEC at Ball State University Invited Speaker: The Physics Teacher Education Coalition, sponsored jointly by the APS, AAPT, and AIP, is a national program designed to enhance the quality and quantity of science teachers. Components of this program have contributed to the successful recruitment of pre-service teachers at Ball State University and the retention of in-service teachers across the state of Indiana. Some of these components are: a mentoring program, a system of decision points along science education students' career paths, active participation by teachers-in-residence, course reform, and curriculum development. These programs, along with results and successes, will be discussed. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, April 24, 2006 11:21AM - 11:57AM |
P3.00002: Preparing Physics and Chemistry Teachers at the University of Arizona Invited Speaker: Beginning in 2000, science majors at the University of Arizona who wish to teach in middle or high schools have enrolled in the College of Science Teacher Preparation Program (CoS TPP). Students in the program take General Education courses, content courses, and science pedagogy courses that make them eligible for teacher certification. Students can remain in their science degree programs, and take the required science pedagogy courses, or they can enroll in a BS in Science Education degree that includes the pedagogy courses, with concentrations available in Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, and Physics. Science educators from six different departments, two permanent Adjunct Instructors, and two Teachers in Residence teach the program's courses. (One of the Teachers in Residence is supported by the PhysTEC project.) Most of the pedagogy courses include field experiences in area science classrooms; the program works with some 115 mentor teachers from throughout the Tucson area, who host preservice teachers in their field experiences. In the first six years of the program, 14 program graduates have been chemistry and physics teachers. This compares to a total of six chemistry and physics teachers produced by the College of Education program in the four years preceding the creation of the CoS TPP. In this presentation, I will describe the unique features of the courses that prospective chemistry and physics teachers take and the field experiences in which they participate. In addition, I will describe how PhysTEC-supplied resources have been used to improve the program, and the ways in which we are assessing the program's success. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, April 24, 2006 11:57AM - 12:33PM |
P3.00003: The Learning Assistant Model for Science Teacher Recruitment and Preparation Invited Speaker: There is a shortage of high quality physical science teachers in the United States. In 2001, less than 50{\%} of teachers who taught physics held a major or minor in physics or physics education (Neuschatz {\&} McFarling, 2003). Studies point to \textit{content knowledge }as one of the two factors that is positively correlated with teacher quality. However, those directly responsible for the science content preparation of teachers, specifically science research faculty, are rarely involved in focused efforts to improve teacher quality or to create alternative paths for becoming a teacher. What role should science research faculty play in the recruitment and preparation of science teachers? How might teacher recruitment and preparation be conceived so that science research faculty members' participation in these efforts is not at odds with the traditional scientific research foci of science research departments? To address this issue, we have coupled our teacher recruitment and preparation efforts with our efforts for transforming our large-enrollment, undergraduate science courses. This is achieved through the \textit{undergraduate Learning Assistant }(LA) program, where talented mathematics and science majors are hired to assist in transforming large enrollment courses to student-centered, collaborative environments. These LAs are the target of our teacher recruitment efforts. Science research faculty, in collaboration with faculty from the school of education have established a community that supports LAs in making decisions to explore K12 teaching as a career option. Fifteen percent of the LAs who have participated in this program have entered teaching credential programs and now plan to become K12 teachers. An added effect of this program is that research faculty have developed skills and knowledge regarding inquiry-based and student-centered pedagogy and theories of student learning. The Learning Assistant program has led to increased subject matter knowledge among learning assistants, increased interest in K-12 teaching as a career, and increased appreciation and understanding of student-centered and inquiry-based learning. Data to support these claims will be presented. Neuschatz, M. {\&} McFarling, M. (2003). Broadning the Base: High School Physics Education at the Turn of a New Century, AIP Report No. R-439. [Preview Abstract] |
Follow Us |
Engage
Become an APS Member |
My APS
Renew Membership |
Information for |
About APSThe American Physical Society (APS) is a non-profit membership organization working to advance the knowledge of physics. |
© 2024 American Physical Society
| All rights reserved | Terms of Use
| Contact Us
Headquarters
1 Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844
(301) 209-3200
Editorial Office
100 Motor Pkwy, Suite 110, Hauppauge, NY 11788
(631) 591-4000
Office of Public Affairs
529 14th St NW, Suite 1050, Washington, D.C. 20045-2001
(202) 662-8700