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a query on standards



Here in Idaho as in so many other states we are being pressed into the
standards mold for teacher preparation. I am attempting to interpret this
stuff for my Department so that we can keep in the loop preparing future
physics teachers. I am having trouble interpreting some of the standards.
When I ask I am told that standard "3" is in the general science teacher
standards because it is among the standards students must meet, but I am
not told why a Physics teacher should be responsible for it. I'm wondering
what the following means to the rest of this list. Is it a central issue
which physics shares with all the other sciences?

Principle 1: Knowledge of Subject Matter

3. The teacher understands the concepts of form and function.

This is the issue I'm particularly interested in. Is this an important
subject matter theme in physics? How would you assess teacher or student
knowledge of this standard?

Thanks for your help in this matter.

Dewey

PS: Just so you know what's in the rest in this category, here are the
other items in the Knowledge section of Principle 1. (They divide up the
standards by knowledge, disposition, and performance types of standards.)
I have some problems with #7 since if we knew the "answer" to this one,
then we wouldn't be complaining about the rest.

1. The teacher knows the history and nature of science and scientific theories.

2. The teacher understands that all sciences are related.

4. The teacher understands the interconnectedness among the science
disciplines.

5. The teacher understands the process of scientific inquiry.

6. The teacher knows how to investigate scientific phenomena, interpret
findings, and communicate information to students.

7. The teacher knows how to effectively communicate and reinforce science
concepts and principles through lessons, demonstrations, and laboratory
activities.



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Dewey I. Dykstra, Jr. Phone: (208)426-3105
Professor of Physics Dept: (208)426-3775
Department of Physics/MCF421/418 Fax: (208)426-4330
Boise State University dykstrad@email.boisestate.edu
1910 University Drive Boise Highlanders
Boise, ID 83725-1570 novice piper: GHB, Uilleann

"As a result of modern research in physics, the ambition and hope,
still cherished by most authorities of the last century, that physical
science could offer a photographic picture and true image of reality
had to be abandoned." --M. Jammer in Concepts of Force, 1957.

"If what we regard as real depends on our theory, how can we make
reality the basis of our philosophy? ...But we cannot distinguish
what is real about the universe without a theory...it makes no sense
to ask if it corresponds to reality, because we do not know what
reality is independent of a theory."--S. Hawking in Black Holes
and Baby Universes, 1993.
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