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Where will the next
Attracting More Students to Physics
Generation of Scientists and
Engineers come from?
Dr Mark Butler
Dr Mark Butler
Gosford High School
Australian Statistics 2001-2004
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4420 less students enrolled in year 12
Mathematics.
National year 12 Physics enrolments hovered at
about 12%.
280 fewer civil engineers enrolled (7% decline).
Science enrolments have increased by 5%, but
23% more Law graduates and 16% more Sales
and Marketing graduates.
Proportion of students enrolled in Science
degrees as a fraction of total university
enrolments has dropped 7%,
For many branches of engineering, Australia
now imports more engineers that it produces.
What is happening to
enrolments in senior high
school Physics?
HSC PHYSICS CANDIDATURE
14000
HSC Physics Candidature
13000
12000
11000
10000
9000
8000
1981
1986
1991
1996
Year
2001
2006
TOTAL HSC CANDIDATURE
70000
60000
Candidature
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
1981
1986
1991
1996
Year
2001
2006
PHYSICS CANDIDATURE AS PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL
HSC CANDITATURE
35
30
Percentage
25
20
15
10
5
0
1981
1986
1991
1996
Year
2001
2006
Percent
PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL SCHOOL STARTERS
WHO STUDY HSC PHYSICS
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
1980
1985
1990
1995
Year
2000
2005
FEMALE HSC PHYSICS CANDIDATURE
40
38
36
Percentage
34
32
30
28
26
24
22
20
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
Year
2001
2003
2005
2007
PERCENTAGE OF YR11 STUDENTS WHO LEAVE
PHYSICS
Percent
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1990
1995
2000
Year
2005
Physics Participation Rate by State
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
Years
1998
2000
2002
2004
Vic
NSW
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Why do we Need More
Students to Study Physics?
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We are not producing enough scientists and
engineers.
Our future economic prosperity will depend on a
technologically literate workforce.
Our Citizens need to be technologically literate to
take an active part in today’s society.
Scientific and technological progress requires a
constant supply of new creative talent to ‘push the
envelope’.
Physics is a key part of our culture and history.
And, because the physical universe is so amazing.
How do we go about
attracting more students to
senior physics and to careers
in Science, Engineering and
Technology?
What are we Teaching in
Senior High School
Physics?
Are our syllabuses working?
The Curriculum Dilemma
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Can one curriculum:
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Provide the fundamental Physics
knowledge required for students who will
not pursue Science after leaving school?
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And simultaneously
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Engage our brightest students and
prepare them for careers in Science
Physics Syllabuses
in Australia
 Queensland:
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Updated their 1987 Syllabus in 2005:
155 hours to cover nine core units
65 hours of extension material to be
designed by each school.
10% of time on practical work
Victoria (VCE)
The new 2005 VCE Physics Syllabus has four
(one semester) units of study each with two
compulsory areas of study and a third area
selected from three option topics.
 UNIT 2:
1) Movement
2) Electricity
3) Astrophysics, Aerospace or Alternative
Energy Sources
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 ACT
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Schools in the ACT design their own
individual Physics courses.
 South
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Australia (updated 2006)
Schools design their own courses in stage
one (year eleven) from nine topics.
In Stage two the course content is mandated
and includes: Motion in Two Dimensions ,
Electricity and Magnetism, Light and
Matter, and Atoms and Nuclei.
Western Australia
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Previously had two courses but replaced
both with a single course in 2006.
The Physics course of study focuses on
student achievement of four outcomes:
Investigating, Communicating scientifically,
Science in daily life, Acting responsibly,
Science in society and Energy and change.
Strongly outcomes based.
Curriculum Framework
Progress Maps
Course Scale of Achievement
WA
Levels of achievement refer to outcomes.
PHYSICS DUMBED DOWN IN WA
Australian 26/4/06
…. “In your answer discuss why only modern cars
have airbags, describe in detail how the air bag
protects the driver from injury and, examine the
ethics of making air bags compulsory in all
vehicles.”
….Even a ten year old with no training in physics
could write an essay and answer this sample
question.
Prof Roy Gilbert (Education)
Edith Cowan University
NSW
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Does our syllabus reflect ‘best practice’?
How is the NSW Physics Syllabus working?
Does it satisfy the demands of all students?
How does it compare with other States?
THE NATIONAL AGENDA
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The Australian Certificate of Education.
National Curriculum?
National Consistency and comparability.
(The current ACER study)
All syllabuses have been
reviewed and updated
recently. It is unlikely that
further syllabus changes
will attract significantly
more students to the
enabling sciences.
Talented, well qualified
teachers are a key element
in engaging and exciting
students about science.
But will the shortage of specialist teachers
put Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry
into a ‘Spiral of Decline’?
WA Physics Teachers' Age
Distribution 2003
50
40
Number of 30
Teachers 20
10
0
<25
Mean = 46 years
3135
4145
5156
Age in Years
6165
Vic Physics Teachers' Age Distribution
45
40
35
30
Number of 25
Teachers 20
15
10
5
0
36- 31- 26- 21- 16- 11- 6- 1-5
40 35 30 25 20 15 10
Years to Retirement
National Physics Teachers' Age Profile
(Deans of Science report 2005)
60
50
Number of 40
Teachers 30
in Survey 20
10
0
<25
Mean = 44 years
3135
4145
5156
Age in Years
6165
Who’s Teaching Science?
The Deans of Science
Survey
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24% of Junior Science teachers have studied
first year university Physics.
16% had not studied any of the four key
science disciplines.
43% of Senior Physics teachers lack a
physics major and 25% have not studied
Physics beyond first year.
40% of schools surveyed reported
difficulties recruiting Physics teachers.
Other Recent Studies
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UK 2004: “In the UK over 50% of scientists and
engineers surveyed said that they had been
influenced in their careers by a visit to a scientist or
engineer's place of work and nearly 80% of
respondents had been influenced by a teacher.”
http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/page.asp?id=2785
Aust. 2005: “Physics graduates in Aust. are in such
demand for research that there are few left to take
up the challenges of physics in industry and
teaching.” www.physics.usyd.edu.au/super/AUTC
Vic 2002: The subject areas with the lowest number
of expected graduate teachers per vacancy are:
LOTE, Physics, Maths, Technology and Computer
science.
http://www.audit.vic.gov.au/reports_par/agp7304.
html
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OECD Conference Nov 2005: In some countries,
the number of graduates in mathematics, physics
and chemistry has declined by 30-50% over the last
8-10 years and there is a shortage of S & T
teachers in most countries.
http://www.caos.nl/ocw/programme.html
US 2005: “The shortage of physics teachers in
Illinois is chronic and growing worse.”
http://www.phy.ilstu.edu/pipeline/Executive_Su
mmary_10.doc
UK 2005: “An independent report published today
directly links the steep decline in the number of
students taking A-level physics to the shortage of
expert physics teachers. With over 30% of physics
teachers due to retire in the next ten years, the
need to recruit more physics teachers is now more
important than ever before.”
www.physorg.com/news8362.html
Macquarie University’s
Science Engineering and
Technology (SET) Study
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92% of HSC Physics students trust their Physics
teacher for information on Science careers. ( c.f.
36% for Careers Advisors).
A good experience in HS Science is the main
reason students follow onto SET careers (HS
Science teachers and extra-curricular experiences).
HS students have poor understanding of SET
careers.
National Recommendations:
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Provide more science training for primary teachers.
Remove the HECS anomaly for science teachers.
Provide scholarships for Physics graduates to complete
teacher training.
Ensure salary scales recognise qualifications (in
addition to experience).
Create alternate career paths for talented teachers.
Instigate industry/university placements for teachers.
See: DEST Australia’s Teachers: Australia’s Future or AIP Education
Policy
But what can be done at
the ‘Chalkface’?
At Gosford High School we
went back to basics and
asked.....
Why Students Choose to Study the
Enabling Sciences (& why they don’t)
 Personal
Reasons
 Social Reasons
 Extra-curricular
reasons
Personal Reasons and Responses
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Interest (Programs, SEG, extra-curricular)
Ability (Build self confidence)
Enjoyment/fun (Programs, SEG, extra-curricular)
Previous success ( Ensure students reach goals)
Prerequisite (Explicit knowledge required)
Keeping options open (Students need to know)
Knowledge of what subject entails (Yr 10 program)
Knowledge of career prospects (Teacher, visitors)
Gender (Roll models, teachers, guest speakers,
past students)
Social Reasons and Responses
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Socio-economic background
‘Science friendly’ home (Try to influence this)
Friends (Advice, study buddies)
Family (Involve them)
Other students (Advice day)
Extra-curricular Reasons and
Responses
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TV, books, movies (Encourage)
Science role models (Attend talks, use visiting
scientists, talk about careers and scientists)
Excursions/workshops (Facilitate)
Competitions (Science Fair, Olympiad, etc.)
Work Experience (Facilitate)
Research projects (Program and encourage)
Timetable restraints (Remove if possible)
How Science has Changed at
Gosford High School
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From 1998 to 2003 the participation rate in
senior Physics and Chemistry increased
by 80% and 50% respectively.
The higher enrolments (approx. 100 Phys
and 100 Chem in yr11) have been
maintained from 2003 to 2006.
Most students now pursue Science and
Science related careers.
2006 Yr 11 GHS Survey Results
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What influenced your decision to study Physics in
year 11?
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92% were influenced by the yr.10 Physics Unit.
Most Important Influence?
 43% Yr. 10 Physics Unit.
 37% Possible future career.
 10% To keep options open.
 10% Other (e.g. Friends, ability, etc. )
Key Elements
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Head Teachers: Must ensure Physics, Mathematics and
Chemistry have a high profile in the school.
Teachers: Expert knowledge, enthusiastic, caring, teach
in their specialist area, discuss Science careers regularly
(use scientists/engineers as guest speakers).
Science courses: Enjoyable, fun, challenging, student
centred, differentiate Physics, Chemistry and Biology in
yr 10.
Extra-curricular: All students encouraged to engage in a
wide range of activities and supported to do so.
Rutherford
Friedmann
Gell-Mann
Leavitt
Joule
Galileo
Curie
Hertz
Dirac
Hawking
Einstein
Schrodinger
Boltzmann
Faraday
Thomson
Fermi
Maxwell
Newton
Bohr
Braggs
Hubble
Kepler
Heisenberg
Meitner
Michelson
Pauli
Feynmann
Oppenheimer
Becqueral
Roentgen
Bell
Planck
Chadwick
de Broglie