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Re: [Phys-l] thinking skills (and how to teach thinking skills)



There are some other opportunities for getting teachers into research environments. The ones Jack mentioned are for college faculty, but there is a growing program for high school and middle school teachers.

Quarknet is an early player...hs teachers and some of their students work in high energy labs in the summer, and meet regularly during the school year. There is also a new RET program sponsored by the NSF...research experience for teachers, aimed at hs and ms teachers.
Most of the new grants also have a stipulation for some sort of educational outreach, which could be a way to get teachers into the research environment.

cheers,

joe

Joseph J. Bellina, Jr. Ph.D.
Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556

On May 15, 2006, at 10:03 AM, Jack Uretsky wrote:

Hi all-
I guess I can agree somewhat with Joe.
I have lived in a research environment for much of the last 50
years, when I started doing physics research. Nothing in high school or
undergraduate (engineering) college really gave me a hint of what research
was like. An epiphany occurred my first year in graduate school (people
really get paid for doing this?).
I don't think it possible to convey the experience in writing.
Nor, from the attempts that I have seen, is it possible to share "the
research experience" with all physics teachers without seriously impeding
the progress of research. So we will probably have to continue, as we
have in the past, leaving "the research experience" to a lucky few, as is
true in most of the world.
There is one more optimistic note, however. I recently learned
that the NSF has funds (largely unspent) for reasearch programs at small
colleges or collaborations of small colleges. Check with the NSF for
details.
Regards,
Jack



On Thu, 11 May 2006, jbellina wrote:

Herb,
I think you just identified one of the problem areas for us. If you
haven't been in a research environment, then you haven't experienced
how scientists learn science...you may have read about it, but
haven't experienced it, and so the meaning of "learning science the
way scientists learn science" doesn't have the same meaning for you
as it does for me.
In the workshops I do, I put teachers in a situation were they learn
the way scientists learn, then help them see that they are doing
that, in hopes of getting them to believe that their students will
learn better by doing the work with guidance, rather than being told.

Where to start, perhaps with a well written book on the history of
science, but be careful so histories view science from a platform a
mile high so you can't see the fine-grained detail where the action
really is. If you like quantum mechanics, try Mara Beller's Quantum
Dialogue. If you like E and M or optics try anything by Jeb
Buchwald. The former is about theory development, the latter,
depending on the book includes more on experiments.

I'm open to other suggestions.


Joseph J. Bellina, Jr. Ph.D.
Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556

On May 11, 2006, at 10:30 AM, Herb Gottlieb wrote:


jbellina wrote:
Simply put, Herb, the action is in the instruction not in the
testing...the idea is to make them active engagers in their own
learning. If you have ever been involved in a research environment
then you know for that experience what is being talked about.
------------------ --------------- ---------------

Since many others on this list-serve, as well as myself, have never
"been involved in a research environment" it would be helpful
to have an explanation that is a bit more detailed.


Thanks in advance.

Herb


<Anthony_Lapinski@pds.org> wrote:
Physics is a unique and fascinating discipline. Hard to teach
and harder to comprehend. ...... I now use peer instruction,
and it has been helpful. Make students responsible for their
learning. My tests have three parts: ...... etc. etc.


Herb Gottlieb Countered:
Sounds good! But instead of using "peer instruction", why not try
doing the instruction yourself and let the students make and grade
their own tests?
:- )
_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l

_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l


--
"Trust me. I have a lot of experience at this."
General Custer's unremembered message to his men,
just before leading them into the Little Big Horn Valley



_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l