Re: Why Not Give References?

[John Clement <clement@HAL-PC.ORG>]

> Given that I don't have the letters "PhD" after my name, I doubt
> that I am physically and intellectually capable of providing
> references for anything I say. I prefer to let ten years of year
> round teaching (18-22 contact hours per week) be my "reference".
>
> ...back to the real world...
>
>
> Cheers,
> Joe Heafner - Instructional Astronomy and Physics
> Home Page http://users.vnet.net/heafnerj/index.html
> I don't have a Lexus, but I do have a Mac. Same thing.

I think Joe is being a little disingenuous.  He has plenty of references
judging from his web pages, and a lot of fortitude to produce the pages.
Not having a PhD is nothing to be ashamed of.  Remember a PhD + $.75 will
get you a cup of coffee.  Joe is in a wonderful place to do some good
research into physics learning.  Tom O'Kuma, past AAPT president, and also a
2 yr college teacher is doing some wonderful research.  BTW the teacher
certification program in TX requires undergraduate grades and the candidate
is required to pass their inane state college entrance exam despite a PhD.
The required GPA as I remember is 3.0 which is low for recent graduates but
high for anyone who graduated before the Vietnam war.  The quality of the
teacher preparation courses and of the teachers is another matter.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX