Bulletin of the American Physical Society
APS April Meeting 2012
Volume 57, Number 3
Saturday–Tuesday, March 31–April 3 2012; Atlanta, Georgia
Session L12: Invited Session: High School Physics Teachers: Supply and Demand |
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Sponsoring Units: FEd Chair: Paul Cottle, Florida State University Room: Grand Hall East A/B |
Sunday, April 1, 2012 3:30PM - 4:06PM |
L12.00001: The pathways of high school science teachers and policy efforts to alter the pipeline Invited Speaker: Tim Sass There is currently much interest in improving the quality of science education in K-12 schools and encouraging more students, particularly minorities and women, to pursue careers in STEM fields. Two interrelated issues are at the forefront: the quality of science teachers and the supply of science teachers. Education research in general finds that the single most important school-based factor affecting student achievement is teacher quality. While there is little evidence that teacher credentials matter for student achievement in the lower grades, there is at least some evidence that content knowledge is an important determinant of teacher quality in middle and secondary schools. However, little is known about the pre-service preparation of high school science teachers and how the training of science teachers affects their performance in the classroom. While there are many efforts underway to increase the supply of science teachers, little is known about the supply of science teachers from different pathways and the factors that lead science teachers to leave the profession. In this presentation I discuss recent work on the supply of teachers from alternative pathways, focusing on high school science teachers. I also summarize the literature on teacher quality and attrition, emphasizing the current state of knowledge on secondary school teachers. Finally, I present current policy initiatives and discuss the likelihood of their success given current research findings. [Preview Abstract] |
Sunday, April 1, 2012 4:06PM - 4:42PM |
L12.00002: Physics in US High Schools: Truths and Untruths Invited Speaker: Susan White Georg Christoph Lichtenberg once noted that ``[t]he most dangerous untruths are truths moderately distorted.'' In this talk, I will look at truths -- and attempt to dispel untruths -- regarding physics in US high schools. Using data from our quadrennial Nationwide Survey of High School Physics Teachers, I'll address questions such as: \begin{itemize} \item Does every student in the US have access to physics in high school? \item Does every student take physics in high school? \item Does taking physics in high school impact future career paths? \item How well do students in different states do with respect to high school physics and preparation for STEM careers? \item Do high school physics teachers have physics training? \item How well are females and minorities represented in high school physics? \item Did every student earning a bachelor's degree in physics from a US institution take physics in high school? \end{itemize} I will also consider the impact of high school physics on future academic pursuits in STEM fields using the Science and Engineering Readiness Index (SERI) developed by Paul Cottle and me. SERI provides a way to examine progress in K-12 physical science education on a state-by-state basis. By the way, Lichtenberg was the first person to hold a professorship dedicated to experimental physics in Germany and was one of the first scientists to introduce experiments with apparatus in his lectures. Today he is remembered for his investigations in electricity, for discovering branching discharge patterns on dielectrics now called Lichtenberg figures. As every physicist does, he wanted to get at the truth and avoid distortions. This talk does just that. [Preview Abstract] |
Sunday, April 1, 2012 4:42PM - 5:18PM |
L12.00003: The PhysTEC project: A perspective on what it takes to recruit and educate more physics teachers Invited Speaker: Monica Plisch The PhysTEC project has more than doubled the number of physics teachers educated at supported sites. These institutions were selected for their potential to implement change primarily in physics departments and build model teacher education programs. Key components of PhysTEC programs include active recruiting, early teaching experiences, pedagogical content knowledge, Learning Assistants, and induction and mentoring. Important structural elements include a program champion, a Teacher in Residence, assessment, collaboration, and institutional commitment. The PhysTEC project has supported about 20 institutions to date. In order to more fully address the national need for qualified physics teachers, the effort would need to be scaled up substantially. There is evidence of growing interest among physics departments in taking on this issue, and a national coalition committed to improving the education of future physics teachers has expanded to include more than 250 member institutions. The project is experimenting with targeted sites, funded at a lower level, to implement focused programs. In addition, PhysTEC is partnering with aligned efforts to magnify its impact. PhysTEC is a project led by APS with AAPT, and supported by the NSF and the APS Campaign for the 21st Century. [Preview Abstract] |
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