Targeted Poster Session: TP-B

Research on Improving Content and Pedagogical Knowledge of Science Teachers

Organizer:
     Chandralekha Singh (clsingh@pitt.edu), University of Pittsburgh

Where:  Union Saltair

When: 8:15 – 9:45 & 3:45 – 5:15, Thursday, August 11

Theme:  The theme of this targeted poster session is consistent with the theme of the conference because this session will highlight research on critical issues in pre-service and in-service teacher preparation. We will discuss the development and evaluation of interventions which are grounded in physics education research to alleviate the serious shortage of well-trained science teachers in the U.S. Topics in this session include research on increasing awareness, enthusiasm, and appreciation of the intellectual demands of physics teaching amongst science undergraduates, designing professional development and assessment for out-of-field teachers, teacher education using state-of-the-art digital video databases, and research and development on preparing teachers to deal with gender issues in classrooms.

Goals:  This session will focus on research on important issues in pre-service and in-service teacher education to prepare qualified science teachers. We hope to convey to the participants how methods of physics education research can be used to design, implement and evaluate strategies to improve teacher preparedness. The participants will be given an opportunity to explore issues related to research on increasing awareness, enthusiasm, and appreciation of the intellectual demands of physics teaching amongst science undergraduates, designing professional development and assessment for out-of-field teachers, teacher education using state-of-the-art digital video databases, and research and development on preparing teachers to deal with gender issues in classrooms. The participants will have an opportunity to learn about various evaluation methods including pre/post-tests measures of attitude and expectations about science teaching before and after an intervention, self and peer evaluation of their own teaching after an intervention, content-based pre/post-tests given to students who received instruction from the teachers who went through a certain intervention, and audio-taped focus group discussions with the target audience.

Individual Poster Abstracts

TP-B1
Increasing interest and awareness about teaching in science undergraduates
Chandralekha Singh (clsingh@pitt.edu), University of Pittsburgh
Laura Moin, University of Pittsburgh
Chris Schunn  University of Pittsburgh
Abstract: We discuss the development, implementation, and assessment of a course for science undergraduates designed to help them develop an awareness and a deeper appreciation of the intellectual demands of physics teaching. The course focused on increasing student enthusiasm and confidence in teaching by providing well supported teaching opportunities and exposure to physics education research. The course assessment methods include 1) pre/post-tests measures of attitude and expectations about science teaching, 2) self and peer evaluation of student teaching, 3) content-based pre/post-tests given to students who received instruction from the student teachers, and 4) audio-taped focus group discussions in the absence of the instructor and TA to evaluate student perspective on different aspects of the course and its impact. We will discuss how methods of physics education research were used in the development and assessment of the course.

Supported by NSF via a grant to the Learning and Research Development Center, University of Pittsburgh.

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TP-B2
The challenges of designing and implementing effective professional development for out-of-field high school physics teachers
Lawrence T. Escalada (Lawrence.Escalada@uni.edu), University of Northern Iowa
Juilia Moeller, University of Northern Iowa
Abstract:  With the existing shortage of qualified high school physics teachers and the current mandate of the No Child Left Behind Act required teachers to be "highly qualified" in all subjects they teach, there is a need for university physics departments to offer content courses and programs that would allow out-of-field high school physics teachers to meet this requirement. This paper will identify how the University of Northern Iowa Physics Department is attempting to address this need through its course offerings and the professional development experiences being provided for teachers. The effectiveness of one such physics professional development program, the UNI Physics Institute (UNI-PI), on secondary science teachers' and their students' conceptual understanding of Newtonian mechanics, and the teachers' instructional practices was investigated. Twenty-one Iowa high school and middle school science teachers participating in the program were able to complete the physics coursework required to obtain the State of Iowa 7-12 Grade Physics Teaching endorsement. Twelve of the participants completed a two-year program during the 2002 and 2003 summers. Background information, pre- and post-test physics conceptual assessments and other data was collected from participants throughout the Institute. Participants collected pre and post-test conceptual assessment data from their students during the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 academic years. This comprehensive assessment data revealed the Institute's influence on participants' and students' conceptual understanding of Newtonian Mechanics. The results of this investigation, the insights we have gained, and our future directions for professional development will be shared.

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TP-B3
Pathway: Using a State-of-the-Art-Digital Video Database for Research and Development in Teacher Education
Brian Adrian (badrian@phys.ksu.edu), Kansas State University
Dean Zollman, Kansas State University
Scott Stevens, Carnegie Mellon University
Abstract: To demonstrate how state-of-the-art video databases can address issues related to the lack of preparation of many physics teachers, we have created the prototype Physics Teaching Web Advisory (Pathway). Pathwayýs Synthetic Interviews and related video materials are beginning to provide pre-service and out-of- field in-service teachers with much-needed professional development and well-prepared teachers with new perspectives on teaching physics. The prototype was limited to a demonstration of the systems. Now, with an additional grant we will extend the system and conduct research and evaluation on its effectiveness. This project will provide virtual expert help on issues of pedagogy and content. In particular, the system will convey, by example and explanation, contemporary ideas about the teaching of physics and applications of physics education research. The research effort will focus on the value of contemporary technology to address the continuing education of teachers who are teaching in a field in which they have not been trained.

Supported by the National Science Foundation under grants DUE-0226157, DUE-0226219, ESI-0455772 & ESI-0455813. 

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TP-B4
Seeing Gender: Research & Development on Gender Issues in Science Teaching
Jacqueline Spears (jdspears@ksu.edu), Kansas State University
Cecilia Hernandez, Kansas State University
Abstract: A considerable body of research documents the existence of an inadvertent gender bias in science/mathematics classrooms. When made aware of this bias, teachers are able to introduce a number of changes to encourage girls' interest and participation in STEM fields. This poster presents a number of strategies for introducing this topic to pre-service and in-service teachers, including an interactive CD-ROM, short courses offered to teachers as part of workshops targeting middle- and high-school girls, and semester long graduate classes. Research on teachers' reactions to this information and the types of changes they make is also presented.

Supported in part by NSF grant HRD - 0225184.

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