National Task Force on Teacher Education in Physics
Pictured left to right: David Meltzer, Larry Coleman (Association of Public and Land-grant Universities), Jack Hehn, Warren Hein, Nicole Gillespie (Knowles Science Teaching Foundation), Cathy O'Riordan, Ted Hodapp, Monica Plisch, J. D. Garcia, Stamatis Vokos, Jim Stith, Valerie Otero, Drew Isola, David Haase
There is a well-established and documented need for major improvements in physics and physical science education in the U.S., in order to prepare today’s students for tomorrow’s increasingly technical workplace. To lead the physics community in a response to national and international pressure for a drastic improvement in pre-college science education, and to the national debate on accountability in pre-college education, the American Association of Physics Teachers, the American Physical Society, and the American Institute of Physics have formed a National Task Force on Teacher Education in Physics. The Task Force will investigate the following questions:
- Increasing the number of qualified teachers – Are there generalizable, yet flexible, strategies that institutions (and in particular, physics departments and schools or colleges of education) can employ?
- Identifying best practice – Are there effective (a) strategies in recruitment, (b) models of professional preparation, and (c) higher education systems of support during the first three years of teaching?
- Research, Policy, Funding Implications – Are there characteristics of physics departments, special partnerships, and types of institutional support and extramural funding that foster effective programs? Are there important new research agendas in teacher professional education and development in physics, which can be identified and promoted? What new measures of discipline-based teaching effectiveness need to be developed? What new funding avenues and policy changes need to be in place to support these cutting-edge research and development efforts?
The Task Force will author a report of its findings, which it will distribute to all physics departments in the U.S., and disseminate through presentations, workshops, and other mechanisms, under the auspices of the sponsoring professional organizations.
Current Task Force Activities
The Task force on Teacher Education in Physics (T-TEP) met for a second time in Houston, TX on 10-12 June. To date the task force has visited 10 institutions and plans 2 more visits this fall. The June meeting helped better define the goals of the final report and produced a draft outline. Throughout the summer the data collection subcommittee has been gathering data on teacher education with the help of AIP Statistical Research Center and has preliminary results. The task force set an ambitious goal of crafting the final report this fall along with various stages of review by members of the community. The plan is still to release the report at the February 2010 PTEC meeting and to hold a symposium during the joint AAPT/APS meeting a few days later. The group intends to send hard copies to all physics and education departments throughout the United States shortly thereafter.
Conference Proceedings
APS April Meeting 2009:
Task Force on Teacher Education in Physics
Task Force Members
Stamatis Vokos, Chair (Seattle Pacific University)
Eugenia Etkina (Rutgers University)
J.D. Garcia (University of Arizona)
David Haase (North Carolina State University)
Drew Isola (Allegan Public Schools)
Eugene Levy (Rice University)
Valerie Otero (University of Colorado at Boulder)
Mary Ann Rankin (University of Texas at Austin)
Society liaisons:
Jack Hehn (American Institute of Physics)
Warren Hein (American Association of Physics Teachers)
Ted Hodapp (American Physical Society)
Cathy O'Riordan (American Institute of Physics)
Monica Plisch (American Physical Society)
Consultants:
David Meltzer, Senior Consultant
