Physics Teacher Education Coalition Project at CSU, Long Beach Galen Pickett, Chuhee Kwon, and Laura Henriques De partment of Physics and Astronomy Department of Science Education California State University Long Beach
Institutional Background California State University Department of Physics & Long Beach Astronomy Urban comprehensive • 110 UG majors university in Los Angeles (36 URM, 20 females) Metropolitan area (total • 40 graduate students 34,870 students). (4 URM, 5 females) • 23 Bachelors and 35 M.S. Other/ Non-Ci zen� African- Na ve� degrees awarded during the Unknown� 4%� American� American� 10%� 4%� 1%� last 3 years. • Began building HS physics teaching network through La no/La na� PhysTEC grant in Aug. 2010. 33%� Caucasian� 25%� Asian� American� 23%�
Goals of the Project • Encourage, recruit and support future physics teachers • Create courses to support physics majors to explore physics teaching • Outreach/Community Building with area Physics Teachers
Encourage, Recruit and Support Future Physics Teachers • Outreach to Current and Potential Physics Majors – Social Mixer – PHYS 390 Class and Learning Assistant (LA) – Posters & informational sessions – Visits & announcements in key classes about how to become a physics teacher and why you might want to choose that career – Changed culture within the department
PHYSICS SOCIAL MIXER The Physics & Astronomy Department hosts a Social Mixer every semester for majors, potential majors, and physics teacher candidates. - Meet & greet Physicists. - Physics competition! - Free food.
Posters advertising physics teaching are displayed in the department & around campus
Create courses for Physics Majors to Explore Teaching • PHYS 390: Early Physics Teaching Experience (based on U of Colorado LA Workshop) – PHSY390 course “counts” for upper division elective in the major • PHYS 490: Special Topics Course Physics specific pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) course. – PHYS490 attracts physics majors, credential candidates, inservice physical science and physics teachers
Majors: PHYS 390 and LA program • PHYS 390: Early Physics Teaching Experience (based on U of Colorado LA Workshop) Spring 2011 Spring 2012 Spring 2013 Enrollment 7 9 26 • Learning Assistant (LA) in PHYS 151 (Calc-based Intro. Physics). – 3 LAs in AY 11/12 – 7 LAs in AY12/13 – 13 LAs in AY13/14 • PHYS 390 class and LAs attend the demo-sharing and open house.
PHYS 490: Special Topics • Physics specific pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) course. • Taught by TIR and Science Ed. Faculty with physics specialty. – Student misconceptions – Laboratories, demonstrations, simulations, and activities – Sequencing instruction Semester Topic/Theme Enrollment Spring 2011 Waves, Sound, and 9 (5 in-service, 4 PB/credential) Optics Fall 2011 Force & Motion 6 (2 in-service, 2 PB/cred., 2 majors) Fall 2012 Energy & Momentum 7 (3 in-service, 2 PB/cred., 2 majors) Fall 2013 Electricity & Magnetism 14 (6 in-service, 4 PB/cred., 4 majors)
Outreach/Community Building with area Physics Teachers • Monthly Physics Demo Days • Physics Open House events • PHYS490 Teaching Physics special topics course – Class shares expertise at CSTA conferences • A physics Teacher-In-Residence spends a year with us
Monthly Demo Sharing Day 2 nd Thursday, 4:30pm – 5:30pm In-service Teachers, • Credential Students, Physics majors. Rotating topics. • Social and collaboration • opportunity.
Monthly Demo-Sharing Day • Teachers come to CSULB to show their demonstrations. • Gives the teachers a chance to collaborate and meet one another. • Themes rotate through the year: Forces & Motion, Circular Motion, Electricity Magnetism, etc.
Open House (Once/Semester) • Sat. Morning (8:30-12:30) • HS Teacher with 2-3 students • Physics majors & faculty • Faculty research talk, hands- on activity, brunch, panel discussion, and lab tours.
PHYS490 Students Presented at 2013 CSTA Conference Hershey kiss electroscope – Nancy Fun fly Stick activities - Shin & Rachael Kissing balloons - Dave PHET simulations – Yanette Hotdog circuits - Marcus Electrolysis - Matt Magneto-hydrodynamic propulsion - Kim Electromagnets, doorbell - Erica Electromagnetic induction (overhead into galvanometer) - Laura Headphones/speakers - Meredith Eddy current tube - Justin Homopolar motor - Jason Magnetic field demonstrator/electric field demonstrator Brandon Neodynium magnets & dollar bill – Brandon Closing – Meredith/Laura
TIR (Teacher-In-Residence) • Experienced, respected high school teacher working with the project for one year (while still teaching HS). • Consultant and co-leader for the HS Teacher Outreach events. • Mentor new teachers. • Writes the monthly newsletter. • Co-instructor for two PHYS courses. • Recruiter for majors and physics teacher candidates.
Outreach/Community Building with area Physics Teachers • Monthly Newsletter, What’s n ?, published by TIR. • SoCal AAPT and California Science Teachers Association (CSTA) Annual Conferences – CSTA workshops presented by CSULB PhysTEC team & students: 3 in 2011, 5 in 2012, and 4 in 2013.
Outreach/Community Building with area Physics Teachers • Monthly Newsletter, What’s n ?, published by TIR. • SoCal AAPT and California Science Teachers Association (CSTA) Annual Conferences • Hosted New Physics Teacher Workshops by SoCal- AAPT. – Feb. 2012 and Nov. 2012 • Maintain a listserv of area high school physics teachers and send out information about nearby professional development opportunities via e-mail.
Building a HS Physics Teaching Community has been a transformative experience. • Physics Faculty Provost • Majors (UG/Graduate) CNSM Dean • Credential Students Vice Provost • In-Service Teachers Academic Senate
For more information about our program: physicsatthebeach.com www.csulb.edu/depts/physics www.youtube.com/watch?v=15a30ixUvnY
O ther CSU campuses funded by PhysTEC Grants: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Cal Poly Pomona CSU San Marcos
PhysTec @ Cal Poly (SLO) • Course Reform – Introductory Mechanics (1 st quarter) – Introductory Physical Science for future elementary school teachers (1 st and 2 nd quarter of sequence) • Teacher-in-Residence – Have become integral to program – Initially, position was supported by PhysTEC (3 years) – Position has been supported by dean (6 years) – This is our largest sustainable success (details to follow) • Built better relationships with School of Education – TIR is field placement coordinator – Physics representative is coordinator • Recruitment – TIR - person to talk to who has been in the trenches – Early field course (45 hours in field and two seminars)- taught by TIR
Role of the TIR Overview Teach courses (45%) introductory physical science* science methods early field experience Working with future teachers (45%) Supervise student teachers Student teaching seminar Advising and recruitment Interface with College of Education (10%) Secondary education committee New credentialing requirements
Role of the TIR … Introductory physical science • Intro physical science for non-science majors • Team taught with other faculty - daily plan and weekly meetings • Used Powerful Ideas in Physical Science and/or Physics for Everyday Thinking Supervising student teachers Visit classes weekly Pre- & post-conference Interactive journal Students reflect daily Used by cooperating teacher, supervising teacher, and student Weekly seminar
Sustaining TIR at Cal Poly SLO Favorable Conditions • Dean supports the idea – Sabbatical for high school teachers • College of Science & Math responsible for: – Teaching methods class – Supervision of student teachers – Student teaching seminar (1/2 faculty load, but low number of students taught) • Teach many small sections of a given course
Sustaining TIR at Cal Poly SLO Sustainable Solution • TIR does supervision, seminar, and methods course for all sciences – Frees faculty for professional development • TIR teaches 1/2-lecturer load – TIR team-teaches, but has own sections – Teaches courses that need to be taught – Dean pays less for better supervision
Homeyra Sadaghiani Steve McCauley & Alex Rudolph Cal Poly Pomona
Offers the B.S. degree in Physics Has 9 tenure track faculty Provides service courses for students from 23 departments Does not normally offer any recitation sections for introductory physics courses
The department has adopted a Learning Assistant (LA) program since 2010. Successful undergraduate students Completed the introductory courses Interested in teaching Interact well with other students Recruitment has to be Personal, Explicit, Ongoing! 30
Weekly instructional planning with reformed course instructors Content LA Seminar course Pedagogy Early teaching experience Practice
Department and Department Chair College and Dean PhysTEC NSF Robert Noyce Scholarship Grant California State University MSTI Grant
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