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[Phys-l] Modeling Workshops at Ariz State U: prep of crossover teachers



Physics education colleagues:

David Hestenes and I recently submitted the final report to the National
Science Foundation, for our four-year grant (2002-2005) to develop a summer
graduate program at Arizona State University for high school teachers of
the physical sciences. Modeling workshops are core courses. Each summer,
130 to 150 high school teachers participate. Most teach physics; and some
teach chemistry, physical science, and math.

Below is an excerpt from the 'Findings' section, written by Dave Hestenes.
I follow it with characteristics of the 230 teachers who took the first
modeling workshop, in mechanics.

Since the nation faces a dire shortage of physics teachers, an important
finding is that, in the four summers, we prepared about 75 crossover
teachers: 40 who had never taught physics and three dozen more who had
taught physics for one to three years.

-------------------------------
David Hestenes wrote:

FINDINGS OF THE MNS PROJECT
We take for granted the pedagogical effectiveness of Modeling Instruction,
as that was thoroughly documented in the Findings (2000) of an NSF Teacher
Enhancement grant entitled Modeling Instruction in High School Physics
(available at <http://modeling.asu.edu>).

I. Major Findings
This project has conclusively demonstrated the feasibility and
effectiveness of a university-based graduate program dedicated to
professional development of in-service science teachers. We refer to this
program as the MNS program, as it can culminate in a Master of Natural
Science degree.

Our conclusions here are drawn from six years of experience in organizing
and running the MNS program (2001-2006), including two years without
external funding bracketing the four years funded by the present grant.

A. Essential Components of the MNS program

1. A complete graduate curriculum of courses
* designed expressly for in-service teachers,
* offered in 3- or 4-week sessions in the summer,
* providing extended intensive peer interaction among teachers.

2. Core courses that model ideal high school courses (i.e. Modeling Workshops)
* in workshop format that integrates pedagogy and content,
* taught by experienced in-service teachers (not university professors!),
* providing teachers with instructional materials and course designs
ready for immediate implementation.
* These courses are also ideal for pre-service science education majors.

3. Engagement of university research faculty in teaching advanced courses
* aimed at educating teachers about current developments in science,
* linking research faculty to high school students through their teachers,
* with academic recognition and rewards for participating faculty.

4. An integrated program of interdisciplinary courses
* especially in chemistry and introductory physical science as well as
physics, since many participants teach all these subjects.

[etc. - 2 more components. The entire "Findings" document is 21 pages long.]
-------------------------------

Here's my summary of the clientele who took our first modeling workshop in
physics.

PHYSICS TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
The vast majority of teachers who took the modeling workshop in mechanics
were inexperienced in teaching physics.
* Among the 230 teachers who took that modeling workshop, about one-third
had never taught physics.
* One-third had taught physics for more than four years.
* All but two taught high school or intended to teach high school.
* Although many were in their twenties, many were in their 40's and 50's;
the oldest was age 69.

DEGREES:
About one-fourth of the 230 teachers (i.e., 63) majored in physics or
physics education, or had many physics courses. The next most popular
degrees were biology and chemistry, with about 17% each (39 and 35
teachers, respectively). Engineering was fourth (9%: 21 teachers). The
remaining 30% had content majors in geology, general science, mathematics,
social sciences, humanities, elementary education, and home economics. So,
if we consider that engineers have a strong physics background, then about
65% of the teachers were weak in content preparation.

CROSS-OVER TEACHERS:
Of the 75 teachers who had never taught physics:
* 16 were pre-service physics teachers or were newly graduated from
undergrad or post-baccalaureate programs and were intending to teach
physics.
* 40 were experienced teachers of other subjects who had been drafted into
teaching physics and took the workshop to review and deepen their physics
content knowledge and learn effective pedagogy.
* The rest were teachers of other subjects (most taught chemistry or
physical science) who wanted to upgrade their physics content knowledge and
learn modeling pedagogy but who had no intention of teaching physics.

So, in essence, we prepared 40 crossover teachers who'd never taught
physics. Many came for multiple summers and took more modeling workshops,
and some earned the MNS degree. In addition, we improved the preparation of
another three dozen crossover teachers who'd taught physics for one to
three years.

We weren't trying to prepare crossover teachers specifically. They just
came! Our MNS program is for ALL physics teachers.

Think what we could do to prepare crossover teachers if we TRIED! :)


AN INTERESTING GENDER TREND:
Eighty-five women and 145 men took the modeling workshop in mechanics.
Women had less physics teaching experience than men. Equal numbers of men
and women with NO physics teaching experience (i.e., about 3 dozen each)
took the modeling workshop in mechanics, whereas among teachers with four
or more years physics teaching, fewer than half as many women as men
participated (26 women and 60 men).
An NSTA report in 2003 on teacher quality states, "the percentage of
female physics teachers rose from 22 to 28 percent from 1990 to 2002." The
modeling workshop enrollment is in the same direction as this trend.


When I get time, I'll post the 'Findings' section on the modeling website.
This 21-page document includes much teacher data.
Cheers,
Jane Jackson

Jane Jackson, Co-Director, Modeling Instruction Program
Box 871504, Dept. of Physics, ASU, Tempe, AZ 85287
480-965-8438/fax:965-7565 <http://modeling.asu.edu>
For 16 years, the Modeling Instruction Program has been
helping teachers attain knowledge and skills needed
to benefit their students. Modeling Instruction is the
only high school science program recognized as Exemplary
by the U.S. Department of Education.