Transcript A Modest Proposal: Addressing the Physics Teacher Shortage

Lessons Learned at the
Buffalo State College Summer
Physics Teachers’ Academy
Dan MacIsaac Dept of Physics, SUNY- Buffalo State College
<[email protected]>
Kathleen Falconer and Dave Henry,
Dept of Elementary Education and Reading, SUNY- Buffalo State College
Marie Plumb, Dept of Mathematics and Science, SUNY- Jamestown Community College
Joe Zawicki, Dept of Earth Science and Science Education, SUNY- Buffalo State College
Abstract
From 2002 - 2008, Buffalo State Physics has run a Physics
Teachers' Summer Academy modeled upon the well-known
ASU Summer Physics program, offering to over 200
teachers seeking NYSED secondary physics certification.
From these summer academy participants we have
recruited into two graduate programs-- admitting 78
candidates and graduating 21 M.S.Ed. (Physics) degree
holding master physics teachers. During this time we have
learned several lessons about managing a summer physics
teachers academy, and teaching modeling physics to preservice and in-service teachers.
References:
<http://PhysicsEd.BuffaloState.Edu/programs/>
MacIsaac, D.L., Henry, D., Zawicki, J.L. Beery, D. & Falconer, K. (2004).
A new model alternative certification program for high school physics teachers: New pathways to
physics teacher certification at SUNY-Buffalo State College. Journal of Physics Teacher Education
Online, 2(2), 10-16.
THINK-PAIR-SHARE ASSIGNMENT:
AAPT July 2008
Session AE -- Use of Research-Based Physics Curricula in Teacher Preparation
THINK-PAIR-SHARE Assignment
Your Name & Email (Optional):
Identify several research based or research informed curricula or resources appropriate
for physics teacher preparation. Briefly describe your resources and how they are to be
used (or are used) in physics teacher preparation. Why do you feel these are
appropriate? Examples from actual experience are preferred.
Buffalo State Programs:
History, Overview & Current
Started in 2002 with 2 candidates
Currently in both programs:
45 MSEd (Physics) candidates (25 cross-cert – no BS
Physics)
•16 MSED (Physics +AC) candidates; 9 engineers; 1PhD
Physicist
• 21 graduates (2 AC- 1 not teaching by choice)
• 3 drop outs
Roughly 3-6 candidates in admissions pipeline at any one time
Current Demographics in both programs*:
•12 women
•1 Hispanic-American
•2 African-American candidates
(*less in-actives)
Buffalo State Programs:
History, Overview & Current
Started with:
• One tenure-track physics education faculty
• Physics faculty inc. certified HS teachers including collaborated with past
HS Physics Teachers now faculty in Elementary Education and Reading
and Earth Science and Science Education
• Several local master physics teachers (WNYPTA community)
Currently:
• Tenure track professional hired 2006
• 2nd physics education faculty hired 2007
• A dozen local master physics teachers (WNYPTA community)
Opportunities:
• to work outside the traditional box of physics teacher licensure
• receive state and national recognition by establishing new model NYSED
AC program
• seek NSF funding
• institutional recognition
Buffalo State Programs:
History, Overview & Current
Buffalo State Summer Physics Teachers’ Academy
 Intensive Summer Courses
• 2-3 week long courses
• 8-13 hours per day
• maximum 30 participant teachers in course (24 is target)
• co-taught by master teachers and university faculty
• physics content and pedagogy integrated
• teacher and student modes
grown to five graduate courses
• Possible 4 courses each summer
• 1 elementary physics and education courses
• 3 secondary physics education courses
Now offering PHY 620 and 622 concurrently
 serving 45-70 teachers this summer
 drawing most participants in-state (very few regionally / nationally)
Physics 622- Summer 2005 Participants and
Instructors
A Partial List of Research-Based
and Informed Curricula we have
experimented with
•
•
•
•
C3P, CPU (extensively)
PET (extensively), PSET (new)
PIPS (extensively)
Modeling Physics (extensively) & some
CASTLE (modeling variant)
A Partial List of Research-Based
and Informed Curricula we have
experimented with
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Matter and Interactions (Esp. vol II)
Knight workbooks
Workshop Physics
Visual Quantum Mechanics
WebTOP
Teaching About Electrostatics (Morse)
UW Tutorials
A Partial List of ResearchInformed Interventions we have
experimented with
• Extensive Use: MBL and simulations (physlets),
White Boards, Discourse, inquiry labs, reflective
writing and journaling (extensive use of learning
commentaries, reading summaries), showcase
courses, seat activities
• Limited Use: Clickers (small classes), online HW,
ILDs, Peer Instruction, Rich Context Problems, TEAL
& PhET visualizations
• Others: Workshop Physics and SCALE-UP informed
room design
Important Admin Lessons Learned
that we feel contribute to our success
Extend the Candidate Pool: Redefined the physics
teacher candidate shortage problem by targeting untapped
physics teacher candidate audiences (cross certification;
alternative certification) SOME OF WHOM ARE ALREADY
TEACHING PHYSICS and who are unlikely to be readily
replaced by qualified candidates even if these were
available
Meet Candidate Administrative Needs: physics teacher
preparation courses were scheduled to meet Full Time
employed adult target candidate needs – evening courses,
online courses and intensive summer academies; extended
financial help / support for candidates (Noyce scholars;
Perkins and Stafford Loan forgiveness etc)
Important Lessons Learned
that we feel contribute to our success
Housed in Physics: We built physics teacher preparation
programs specifically dedicated to and focused upon
teaching one subject only, housed within physics and team
taught with appropriate physics faculty and master HS
physics teachers for professional and intellectual credibility
to multiple audiences (candidates, other teachers, faculty,
State Ed Dept )
Physics Department Culture of Critical Assessment and
Reflection upon Instruction: Try to show the physics
department as “walking the walk” by leading in instructional
innovation, semesterly department instructional assessment
reports, pre-post testing all intro courses and all teacherspecific courses (faculty respect).
Important Intellectual Lessons Learned
that we feel contribute to our success
Meet Candidate Learning Needs (re-teach the Physics):
we recognize physics teacher candidates pretty universally
don't know their physics content, don’t how to teach it, and
they don't know that they don't this. Yes, even our physics
majors too -- see the extensive PER and SER literature.
Well Articulated Philosophy of Practice: Transparent,
operationalized definitions of high quality intro physics
learning and teaching via (RTOP == Reformed Teaching
Observation Protocol) exemplified in showcase courses.
Important Intellectual Lessons Learned
that we feel contribute to our success
Primacy of PCK: graduate level showcase courses contain
undergraduate physics content (absolutely required), lower
division mathematical representations and graduate level
PCK (E.g. )
P edagogical
Knowledge
(teaching)
P edagogical
Content
Knowledge
(physics
teaching)
Content
Knowledge
(physics)
Research-based / informed activities and curricula with
Required Reflection: extended reflection; use of "Student
hat" and "Teacher hat" activities and analyses throughout
Important Lessons Learned
that we feel contributed to our success
A "perfect storm" at Buffalo State College?
• institutional and physics department politics
• teacher preparation mission at college (NCATE)
• search for distinctive programs and identity
• important cross-disciplinary collaborations
• flexible faculty willing to go "outside the box"
• experienced players in teacher preparation
• growing the pie in physics department resources
• lack of physics graduate program competition?
See <physicsed.buffalostate.edu/pubs/aapt>