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Re: AAPT Vision Process



On 8/1/2000 3:48 PM, Daniel L. MacIsaac wrote:

What do you think of the above Vision, Mission and Critical Issue statements?
What programs and services is the AAPT doing well now?
What should be retained? What should be discarded?
What new directions should AAPT take?

Thanks for passing this on, Daniel.

I think it is appropriate for the AAPT to take on a stronger political and
advocacy role. Science and science education are slowly becoming bigger and
bigger issues (GWBush did a special math-science education speech this year;
Rep. Ehlers introduced HR 4271-3 the National Science Education Acts;
business leaders are behind science and tech education; the Glenn Commission
report is due 10/2) and I'd like to see the expertise of AAPT inform these
discussions.

I'm comfortable with the mission and vision statement. They might need some
minor wordsmithing, but I think the gist is appropriate.


Critical Issue #1: Increase AAPT's outreach to and impact on physics
teachers

I suspect there are financial implications to this, as well as sound
organizational ones. It appears that the old Eisenhower professional
development program will be gone in a few years, and with it will go the
financial resources necessary for many members to attend annual conferences.
AAPT needs to establish a revenue model that relies less on annual
conferences.

The findings of physics education research, in general, are having a slow
time reaching K12 schools, school systems, and undergraduate institutions.
I'd like to see the AAPT develop systems to help local and state education
agencies make better use of this research.


Critical Issue #2: Increase the diversity and number of physics teachers and
students

The number of new physics teachers continues to drop, both as a recruitment
rate and in terms of retention. At most undergraduate institutions, the
number of physics students is dropping, I believe. Increasing the number of
both will increase the size and base-of-knowledge of AAPT.

I think reaching out to traditionally undeserved populations is also
important, as our society becomes more and more diverse. I think this can be
done without "watering down" physics.


Critical Issue #3: Improve the pedagogical skills and content knowledge of
teachers of physics at all levels

Critically important, but is this the AAPT's job? Yes, to some degree, but I
think much of the responsibility for training--both pre-service and
in-service--should be LEA, SEAs, and universities. Unfortunately, we've got
a long way to go for this to happen. In my opinion, if the AAPT were to
provide a clearinghouse of resources designed to help LEAs and SEAs take
advantage of the wealth of knowledge within AAPT and relevant research, we
could push the other organizations to support their teachers in an
appropriate fashion. With the PSRC online, AAPT is already moving in this
direction.

-ML


--
Michael Lach
Science Department
Lake View High School
Chicago, IL