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PTEC Programs

Here is a list of existing and proposed Coalition programs. If you think of something that you think should be included in this list that will support teacher preparation of physics or physical science teachers, please let us know by sending an email to Ted Hodapp. We will update this page as we develop aspects of these programs.

  • National Conference on Physics and Physical Science Teacher Education. This conference brings together individuals from across the country to learn about and share innovative ideas that promote the education of future teachers. PTEC provides registration and meals at the national conference to all Coalition members.
  • Regional and Topical Workshops: PTEC provides limited financial support to attend these workshops, presented by national leaders in physics teacher preparation. The second one, on Learning Assistants, was held at the University of Colorado on October 24-25, 2007.
  • PTEC Publications. PTEC features Coalition programs in our printed and electronic publications. These include:
  • Support for Workshop Attendance. We are developing a program to pay travel costs of Teacher-in-Residence (TIR) and Coalition graduates (new teachers in their first few years) and Coalition faculty to attend summer workshops at RI campuses (e.g., University of Washington summer program, Interactive Lecture Demos, etc.). We expect that these experiences will help faculty and teachers to better understand the current state of Physics Education Research and its implication on educating teachers and students.
  • Programmatic Review. In an effort to more broadly disseminate new ideas and curricula developed at PhysTEC institutions, we will be inviting Coalition members to take part in visiting teams to review these programs.
  • Coalition Listserv. We currently provide periodic notification via email and other means of conferences, workshops, funding opportunities, and other topical issues related to teacher preparation. If you would like to add your name to the Coalition listserv, please contact Gabe Popkin at the American Physical Society.
  • Invited Sessions at National Meetings. Each year, during the annual meetings of the APS and AAPT, we sponsor sessions of invited talks and invite Coalition members to give many of these addresses.
  • Participation in Sponsored Studies. The project is initiating several sponsored studies of teacher preparation to help inform the community of the diversity and effectiveness of teacher education programs across the country. Coalition members will be included in and involved with the operation of these studies.
  • Project Leadership. As the Coalition develops, we would like to include the input of Coalition members into the governance structure of the organization. This is a chance to help shape this organization that has substantial support from each of the three physics organizations (AAPT, AIP, and APS).