Bulletin of the American Physical Society
75th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Section of APS
Volume 53, Number 13
Thursday–Saturday, October 30–November 1 2008; Raleigh, North Carolina
Session KA: Successful Programs in Physics Education |
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Chair: Paul Cottle, Florida State University Room: Holiday Inn Brownstone Sessions |
Friday, October 31, 2008 3:45PM - 4:15PM |
KA.00001: The Evolution of and Evolution in the Next Generation Florida Science Education Standards Invited Speaker: Florida was one of the first states to establish education standards, including Science, in 1996. Recent evaluations of state standards, especially one released by the Fordham Institute, identified shortcomings and condemned avoidance of the word Evolution. In 2007, the legislature funded development of what it hoped would become a world class set of Science Education standards. A group of science teachers and postsecondary faculty chosen by the Florida Department of Education framed an overview based on an extensive review of standards in other states and countries. A second slightly overlapping group then wrote the new standards, which were submitted to the State Board of Education. The SBOE held a series of public hearings that dealt almost exclusively with evolution, which the new ``next generation'' standards identify as a ``big idea'' and major organizing principle of modern biology. The SBOE added ``scientific'' to all theories in all areas, and the standards passed with that revision by a vote of 4:3. The legislature subsequently debated but did not enact an ``academic freedom'' bill that would have allowed teaching creationism/intelligent design. [Preview Abstract] |
Friday, October 31, 2008 4:15PM - 4:45PM |
KA.00002: Translating brilliance: Facilitating communication and growth among university and K-12 STEM faculty Invited Speaker: The STEM world is broad, diverse, and receiving lots of press as a single entity even though STEM practitioners are diverse as any group can be. As barriers to interdisciplinary research blur or fall completely, the importance and connectedness of STEM preparation and communication among young children, middle and high school students, teachers of those students, undergraduates, grad students, post-docs, faculty, corporate researchers, legislators, and the public at large has become more important than ever. The Science House at NC State University has spent 17 years finding creative ways to implement ageless truths and cutting-edge research to foster collaboration among people with common goals and interests but remarkably different cultures and means of communication. In this session we will discuss key lessons from those 17 years of work and find ways to continue to grow communication and collaboration in the pursuit of excellence. [Preview Abstract] |
Friday, October 31, 2008 4:45PM - 5:15PM |
KA.00003: UFTeach: A Partnership for Training Math and Science Teachers at the University of Florida Invited Speaker: The UTeach program at the University of Texas at Austin is justifiably acclaimed for its success in inspiring and training future middle and high school math and science teachers. The program operates on a simple premise: success in teaching a subject requires a mastery of its content with guided experience in classroom teaching. In 2007 the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI), a non-profit dedicated to expanding proven math and science education programs, announced funding of 13 sites to replicate the UTeach program, including UFTeach at the University of Florida. In this talk I will give an overview of the UFTeach program, and share my experiences in partnering with the UF College of Education to establish a new math and science teacher education program. [Preview Abstract] |
Friday, October 31, 2008 5:15PM - 5:45PM |
KA.00004: SKyTeach: Addressing the need for Science and Math Teachers in Kentucky Invited Speaker: The shortage of good science and math teachers is a chronic problem that threatens to undermine the future of our profession and economy. While our world is becoming increasingly dependent on technology, many high schools do not even offer physics, in part due to of the unavailability of a qualified teacher. The entire state of Kentucky typically produces 0-2 new physics teachers per year, compared to 200+ elementary teachers per year from WKU alone. The picture is not much better in math and other sciences. SKyTeach is a new program at WKU to address this great need and is part of a national effort to replicate the successful UTeach program. The University of Texas UTeach program graduates 70-90 new math and science teachers a year, in the process providing them with a strong preparation based on current research on how people learn science and math, experience teaching in real classrooms from the start, and strong mentoring and support. UTeach graduates stay in the classroom at rates above the national average, and some fairly quickly move into leadership positions within their schools. A key element is good collaboration between the college of science, that of education, local P-12 schools, and others. Last year thirteen universities across the nation were selected as part of an effort to replicate the UTeach program nation-wide. This effort is supported by the National Science and Math Initiative in a partnership with the UTeach Institute. Our first cohort of students has started this fall, and we have had many successes and challenges as we move forward. [Preview Abstract] |
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