Bulletin of the American Physical Society
2006 APS March Meeting
Monday–Friday, March 13–17, 2006; Baltimore, MD
Session P3: Physics Teacher Preparation at a Crisis: Innovative Programs Addressing a National Need |
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Sponsoring Units: FEd Chair: Ramon Lopez, Florida Institute of Technology Room: Baltimore Convention Center Ballroom I |
Wednesday, March 15, 2006 11:15AM - 11:51AM |
P3.00001: Improving the preparation of K-12 teachers: Contributions from physics education research Invited Speaker: Physics education research can contribute to efforts by college and university faculty to improve the preparation of K-12 teachers to teach physics and physical science. Examples are used to demonstrate the need to help teachers deepen their understanding of basic topics and to illustrate how a research-based curriculum can assist in this process. Evidence is presented of the impact on student learning in K-12 classrooms. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 15, 2006 11:51AM - 12:27PM |
P3.00002: UTeach: Secondary Teacher Preparation in Science and Mathematics at the University of Texas at Austin Invited Speaker: The UTeach Program is a joint effort of the College of Natural Sciences, the College of Education and the Austin Independent School District to recruit, prepare and support math and science teachers for the State of Texas. UTeach uses early and on-going field experiences to capture the imagination of preservice teachers and provide a foundation for more advanced pedagogical courses. With over 400 students enrolled and over 80 graduates per year, UTeach is one of the largest programs producing secondary science, mathematics, and computer science teachers in the nation. Most UTeach students are undergraduates, but around 10\% are people of many ages with strong backgrounds in mathematics or science who have decided to enter teaching. Hallmarks include: \begin{itemize} \item Four-year degree plans that enable undergraduates to obtain certification at no cost in time or money. \item Active recruitment and support including tuition reimbursement, paid internships, personal advising, and guidance by master teachers. \item Emphasis on preparing teachers who will be knowledgeable of their discipline, experienced with involving students in scientific inquiry, and practiced in employing new technologies to enhance student learning. \item A revised, streamlined professional education sequence drawing on research on learning, standards-based curricula, multiple forms of assessment, and proven strategies for achieving equity and integrating technology into math and science education. \item Program flexibility with multiple entry points (from freshman to post baccalaureate), integrated degree plans, and proficiency-based assessment, including the development of individual teaching portfolios. \end{itemize} For more information on UTeach, see \texttt{http://uteach.utexas.edu} [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 15, 2006 12:27PM - 1:03PM |
P3.00003: Better prepared future teachers = better physics department! Invited Speaker: A more scientifically literate society benefits physics as a profession. It is best realized by better serving all undergraduate physics students. Arguably, the most important are future K-12 teachers. In better-serving all students, the department also benefits. University of Arkansas, Fayetteville has seen a drastic change in number of majors, the number of students active in research and the number of graduates pursuing graduate work while also increasing the number of majors who decide to teach. What works to build these numbers and strengthen these resources at Arkansas will be discussed, with additional examples from other members of the growing Coalition of institutions that are seeking to improve and promote physics and physical science teacher education within physics departments. This group, the Physics Teacher Education Coalition (www.PTEC.org), is bringing together innovative ideas and practices throughout the country to help meet the critical shortage of well prepared and actively supported teachers. The program will be described and information provided for those interested in taking advantage of these efforts. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 15, 2006 1:03PM - 1:39PM |
P3.00004: Sustainable and Scalable Reforms in Physics Education: Research studies from Colorado PhysTEC Invited Speaker: and STEVEN POLLOCK University of Colorado at Boulder -- While many practices developed within the physics education research community have been demonstrated as successful, they respond to calls and employ practices that echo efforts from the early part of the 20th Century.~Are we bound to the same limited success as these precursors?~We examine what it means to replicate proven reforms and to develop models for sustainable implementation of these reforms.~As part of the Colorado Physics Teacher Education Coalition, we have implemented the Tutorials in Introductory Physics, which were developed by researchers at the University of Washington. We present research on the successful implementation of these reforms at the University of Colorado and begin to answer the questions: What does it mean to replicate an educational program? and How might these educational transformations be sustained? We present empirical data on the success of reforms and the fidelity of implementation as well as theoretical frames for analyzing these data. We also present a model (the Learning Assistant program) designed for sustaining these reforms and for increasing student interest and retention in teaching. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 15, 2006 1:39PM - 2:15PM |
P3.00005: The AAPT/PTRA Program: Professional Development for Pre-College Physics Teachers Hosted by College and University Physics Departments Invited Speaker: The American Association of Physics Teacher's Physics Teaching Resource Agents (AAPT/PTRA) program has a twenty year history of providing professional development for in-service pre-college physics and physical science teachers. More than 500 teachers have been prepared through NSF-funded summer institutes to provide professional development for their peers in a wide variety of venues ranging from urban, inner-city classrooms to classrooms in low population rural areas. A wide variety of inquiry-based, active engagement workshops have been developed that can assist in-service teachers at all experience and preparation levels, from new and crossover teachers to those who have taught for many years. AAPT/PTRA presenters are typically active physics teachers who share lessons learned in their classrooms on how to adopt research-based practices. College and university physics and astronomy departments interested in providing in-service professional development for pre-college teachers in their geographic areas can enter into agreement with the AAPT/PTRA program to utilize the services of these trained professional development providers. United States Department of Education Math and Science Partnership funds that are allocated to each state are an excellent source of funds that physics and astronomy departments can use to support this type of professional development for physics and physical science teachers. An example of a funded program currently in place in Texas will be presented. AAPT/PTRA program is currently funded by NSF grant {\#} ESI-0138617. [Preview Abstract] |
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