http://www.ptec.org/ The latest material additions to the PTEC. en-US Copyright 2010, ComPADRE.org editor@ptec.org editor@ptec.org Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:11:38 EST http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://www.compadre.org/portal/services/images/LogoSmallPTEC.gif http://www.ptec.org/ 125 35 http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10326 This paper contains a scholarly description of pedagogical practices of the Rutgers Physics/Physical Science Teacher Preparation program. The program focuses on three aspects of teacher preparation: knowledge of physics, knowledge of pedagogy, and knowledge of how to teach physics (pedagogical content knowledge— PCK). The program has been in place for 7 years and has a steady production rate of an average of six teachers per year who remain in the profession. The main purpose of the paper is to provide information about a possible structure, organization, and individual elements of a program that prepares physics teachers. The philosophy of the program and the coursework can be implemented either in a physics department or in a school of education. The paper provides details about the program course work and teaching experiences and suggests ways to adapt it to other local conditions. Education Foundations/Teacher Characteristics/Pedagogical Content Knowledge http://www.ptec.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=10326 Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:11:38 EST http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10326 http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=8974 We report on a case study which provides professional development to advanced undergraduate and graduate research team members of the Kansas State University Physics Education Research (KSU-PER) group. An integral component of a student's professional development is the opportunity to participate in a range of research activities and work in collaboration — both as a mentor and a junior researcher with a range of individuals. In order to coordinate and facilitate these opportunities KSU-PER established an ongoing research project investigating students' conceptions of the physics underlying devices. The project utilized an integrated methodological and administrative framework — combining elements from grounded theory, phenomenology and action research. This framework provides a forum and research setting allowing junior and experienced researchers to act in various project management roles and perform a range of research activities. We will conclude by reflecting upon our experiences. Education Practices/Professional Development http://www.ptec.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=8974 Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:29:27 EST http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=8974 http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10310 This document contains a set of K-12 educational standards for physics. This work is an extension of Advanced Placement standards to a full K-12 progression of physics concepts. There are five main standards each with a set of objectives, foundation knowledge statements, conceptual learning targets, and learning outcomes. The document also includes instructional guides for each of the standards and objectives to help teachers interpret and address the learning outcomes. These guides include common student difficulties and the content boundaries for each grade band, as well as example activities, questions, and problems. General Physics/Curriculum http://www.ptec.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=10310 Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:27:29 EST http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10310 http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=8904 The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Teacher Quality Grants, supported through No Child Left Behind, are intended to ensure that secondary teachers of specific subjects are "highly qualified". Now in their third year, these grants have done much to shape long-term professional development for teachers in the physical sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). The grants have also created a suite of challenges and benefits for the UTD Science Education M.A.T. program. Teacher Quality Grants are based on the No Child Left Behind framework that requires teachers to be "highly qualified" as defined by the state. Recruitment is required to be targeted at teachers who are uncertified or teach one or more classes out of their content area and who work in high needs local school districts. Many of the students brought into our program through these grants have incoming content knowledge in physics similar to that typical of undergraduate non-majors, and a large percentage are uncomfortable with basic mathematics as well. How and what we teach has been dramatically impacted by the Teacher Quality Grants, as have our assessments and evaluations. An ongoing challenge has been to implement a Physics Education Research (PER)-based course design while meeting the specific requirements of the Teacher Quality Grant program. The Teacher Quality Grants have also provided a great deal of opportunity to new and existing teachers in our program. A barrier to our teachers, rising tuition costs, has been removed and as a result a mandate has become a doorway of opportunity for physical science teachers. Education Practices/Professional Development http://www.ptec.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=8904 Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:14:59 EST http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=8904 http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=8970 Preservice elementary teachers should experience science through inquiry in order to be effective in teaching science. In addition, inquiry as a mode of teaching is mandated by Kansas and National Science Education Standards. As a result of the No Child Left Behind Act, teachers also need to be prepared to include basic skills in reading and mathematics in all instruction. To address these issues, Fort Hays State University (FHSU) is adapting and extending the NSF-developed teacher enhancement materials Operation Primary Physical Science (OPPS) for use in a physical science course for preservice elementary teachers. This paper presents main features of OPPS, describes advantages of using it as a template in developing desired course material and discusses results collected with students enrolled in the adapted course during 2004/2005 academic year. Education Practices/Curriculum Development/Course http://www.ptec.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=8970 Thu, 05 Aug 2010 17:17:06 EST http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=8970 http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10305 Presentation about Ellen Momsen's participation in the PhysTec program and the wide variety of opportunities it provided her to make an impact in STEM education in ways quite different than previously imagined. Presented at the "Once a TIR Always a TIR" session. Education Practices/Teacher Preparation http://www.ptec.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=10305 Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:11:14 EST http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10305 http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10304 Presentation by TIR Steve Olsen about the University of Minnesota program for Returning Learning Assistants, including the opportunities it provides the students and the way it enhances the physics program. Presented at the "Once a TIR Always a TIR" session. Education Practices/Teacher Preparation http://www.ptec.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=10304 Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:04:37 EST http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10304 http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10303 Presentation discussing how having the Teacher-in-Residence as a “point person” helps provide continuity for the recruitment of future physics teachers and how this continuity works to keep the pipeline of future physics teachers flowing. Presented at the "Once a TIR Always a TIR" session. Education Practices/Teacher Preparation http://www.ptec.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=10303 Mon, 02 Aug 2010 13:56:54 EST http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10303 http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10302 Nancy Stauch, Teacher-in-Residence at California Polytechnic State University, explains her experience as a TIR and how the role is both an opportunity to contribute to teacher preparation and to grow as a professional at the "Once a TIR Always a TIR" session. Education Practices/Teacher Preparation http://www.ptec.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=10302 Mon, 02 Aug 2010 13:02:02 EST http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10302 http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10301 Presentation on a new model for weekly undergraduate Learning Assistant (LA) and graduate Teaching Assistant (TA) lab preparation at the "Once a TIR Always a TIR" session. Education Practices/Teacher Preparation http://www.ptec.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=10301 Mon, 02 Aug 2010 12:39:50 EST http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10301 http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10295 The PhysTEC project has produced a video introduction to the benefits of the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship, as told by two Noyce Scholars and a Noyce Program Coordinator. This inspiring two-minute video can be screened in university classrooms, department open houses, scholarship information sessions, or any other place physics majors meet. To download this video or get code to embed it in your website, click on the menu above or the link below: Education Practices/Recruitment/Scholarships http://www.ptec.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=10295 Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:50:49 EST http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10295 http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10274 Brief introduction to Modeling Instruction Program and Modeling Discourse Management, with results showing impact. Education Practices/Teacher Preparation http://www.ptec.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=10274 Sat, 17 Jul 2010 18:37:31 EST http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10274 http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=9828 We present results from a comparative study of student understanding for students who attended recitation classes that used different teaching methods. Student volunteers from our introductory calculus-based physics course attended a special recitation class that was taught using one of four different teaching methods. A total of 272 students were divided into approximately equal groups for each method. Students in each class were taught the same topic, “Changes in Energy and Momentum,” from Tutorials in Introductory Physics. The different teaching methods varied in the amount of student and teacher engagement. Student understanding was evaluated through pre- and post-tests. Our results demonstrate the importance of the instructor’s role in teaching recitation classes. The most effective teaching method was for students working in cooperative learning groups with the instructors questioning the groups using Socratic dialogue. In addition, we investigated student preferences for modes of instruction through an open-ended survey. Our results provide guidance and evidence for the teaching methods that should be emphasized in training course instructors. General Physics/Physics Education Research http://www.ptec.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=9828 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:21:05 EST http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=9828 http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10054 As part of a long-term program to develop effective, research-based professional development programs for physics graduate student teaching assistants (TAs), we first identify their current classroom practices and why they engage in these practices. In this paper, we identify a set of teaching practices we call "focusing on indicators," which occurs when TAs use signs such as key words or diagrams as evidence that students understand the target idea; these indicators are more superficial than a detailed explanation. Our primary finding is that although the three TAs discussed here share a common behavior, the beliefs and motivations that underlie this behavior vary. We argue that TA professional development focused on changing these TAs’ focus-on-indicator behavior is unlikely to be effective. Instead, responsive TA professional development will need to address the TAs’ beliefs that guide the observed classroom behavior. General Physics/Physics Education Research http://www.ptec.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=10054 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:20:34 EST http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10054 http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10190 In the Teacher Preparation Section of this edition, Gay Stewart talks about the Arkansas Noyce Scholarship Program and Gabe Popkin discusses the PhysTEC Noyce. Other articles include an introduction to the APS Minority Bridge Program and an outline of some student opportunities available through the Center for Excellence in Education. Education Practices/Recruitment/Scholarships http://www.ptec.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=10190 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:08:06 EST http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10190 http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10149 A brief overview of the PhysTEC project followed by the findings and recommendations of the Task Force. Education Practices/Teacher Preparation http://www.ptec.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=10149 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:54:25 EST http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10149 http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=7416 This study investigates the relationship between measures of mathematics teacher skill and student achievement in California high schools. Test scores are analyzed in relation to teacher experience and education and student demographics. The results are consistent with the hypotheses that there is a shortage of qualified mathematics teachers in California and that this shortage is associated with low student scores in mathematics. After controlling for poverty, teacher experience and preparation significantly predict test scores. Short-term strategies to increase the supply of qualified mathematics teachers could include staff development, and recruitment incentives. A long-term strategy addressing root causes of the shortage requires more emphasis on mathematics in high school and undergraduate programs. Education Practices/Teacher Preparation http://www.ptec.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=7416 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:53:43 EST http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=7416 http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=7418 Despite research that has established that high-quality elementary and secondary teaching is highly complex work, K-12 teaching lacks commensurate stature and standing. Underlying out-of-field teaching, it appears, is the assumption that female dominated school teaching requires far less skill, training, and expertise than do traditional professions and therefore that it is acceptable to treat teachers like interchangeable blocks. From a sociological perspective, meeting No Child Left Behind’s mandate of ensuring that all classrooms have qualified teachers will require more than increasing the recruitment and training of teachers. Ultimately, it will require upgrading the status of teaching as an occupation. Education Practices/Teacher Preparation/Teacher Assessment http://www.ptec.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=7418 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:51:10 EST http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=7418 http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10086 This presentation includes the findings and recommendations of the APS/AAPT/AIP Task Force on Teacher Education in Physics and a description of the PhysTEC project. Education Practices/Teacher Preparation http://www.ptec.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=10086 Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:25:52 EST http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=10086 http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=7417 The authors empirically test how 12th-grade students of teachers with probationary certification, emergency certification, private school certification, or no certification in their subject area compare relative to students of teachers who have standard certification in their subject area. The authors also determine whether specific state-by-state differences in teacher licensure requirements systematically affect student achievement. In mathematics, the authors find teachers who have a standard certification have a statistically significant positive impact on student test scores relative to teachers who either hold private school certification or are not certified in their subject area. Contrary to conventional wisdom, mathematics and science students who have teachers with emergency credentials do no worse than students whose teachers have standard teaching credentials. Education Practices/Teacher Preparation/Teacher Certification http://www.ptec.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=7417 Fri, 04 Jun 2010 11:46:30 EST http://www.ptec.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=7417