Midwest CUWiP Conference 20 January 2013 The Physics Teacher Education Coaltion (PhysTEC) Monica Plisch Associate Director Education and Diversity American Physical Society
My career path BS Engineering Physics, University of Illinois PhD Physics (nanomagnetics), Cornell University Instructor of Mathematics and Physics, Wells College Director of Education, Center for Nanoscale Systems Associate Director of Education and Diversity, APS 2
Need for High School Teachers Relative Demand by Field: Highest Demand Fields!! Considerable Shortage (5.00-4.21)! Physics!4.26! " Some Shortage (4.20-3.41)! Spec. Ed. Multi-categorical "4.15" Mathematics!4.13! Chemistry!4.12! Spec. Ed. "4.06" Spec. Ed. Mild/Moderate Disabilities "4.04" Spec. Ed. Learning Disability "4.03" Spec. Ed. Mental Retardation "4.03" 2010 AAEE (American Association of Employment in Education) Educator Supply and Demand in the United States Report 3
High school classes taught by teacher with degree in the field 90%# 80%# 70%# 60%# 50%# 40%# 30%# 20%# 10%# 0%# Social#Studies# English# Biology# Math# Physics# Chemistry# Source: 2007-08 Schools and Staffing Survey 4
Physics Scores in China and US Concept exam scores for first-year college students (before physics) Lei Bao, Science 30 January 2009: 586-587. 5
High School Students Studying Physics 1000's%of%students% 1400" 1200" 1000" 800" 600" 400" 200" Honors/AP/2nd"Year" Regular" Conceptual/Physics"First" 0" 1987" 1990" 1993" 1997" 2001" 2005" 2009" Source:"AIP"StaGsGcal"Research"Center" 6
PhysTEC project goals Transform physics departments to engage in preparing physics teachers Demonstrate successful models for increasing the number of highly-qualified physics teachers Spread best-practice ideas throughout the physics teacher preparation community 7
PhysTEC Project National Coalition National conference Community leaders Topical workshops Sharing innovative ideas Broad dissemination 275 member institutions Demonstration Projects Comprehensive (< $300k) All key elements Teacher in Residence Targeted sites (< $75k) Innovative ideas, smaller sites National models Institutional support 27 supported sites 8
PhysTEC Supported Sites 25 Number of Teachers (3 year totals) 20 15 10 5 Pre funding Y1-Y3 Y4-Y6 Post funding 2001-2004 2004-2007 0 Arizona (2001-2007) Arkansas (2001-2007) W. Michigan (2001-2007) Site (funding period) Cal Poly (2003-2007) Colorado (2004-2007) Non-PhysTEC* *Number of physics certifications averaged over 319 institutions in 15 states. Note that all PhysTEC teachers are more highly qualified than the minimum standard in most states.
Early Teaching Experience: Learning Assistants LA program Undergraduates serve as peer instructors Concurrent pedagogy course Early teaching experience Impact Teacher recruitment Class performance improves LA knowledge increases 10
Teachers in Residence TIR Activities Interact one-on-one with prospective teachers Mentor pre-service and in-service physics teachers Implement Learning Assistant programs Co-teach courses for future teachers Build professional learning communities Serve as an ambassador for physics teaching 11
Key Components Key leadership components Champion Collaboration (physics, education, schools) Institutional commitment Assessment Key program components Recruiting Pedagogical content knowledge Early teaching experiences Mentoring and induction Supportive program structures Teacher in Residence (TIR) Learning Assistants (LA) Teacher Advisory Group (TAG) 12
PhysTEC Member Institutions (www.ptec.org) Physics Teacher Education Coalition Supported Sites Member Institutions Updated April 2012 13
PhysTEC annual conferences (223 institutions) 70" 60" New" Returning" 50" Ins$tu$ons( 40" 30" 20" 10" 0" 2005" 2006" 2007" 2008" 2009" 2010" 2011" 2012" 14
National Task Force Report Few departments actively engaged in teacher education Low support for teachers in the classroom A few models of thriving programs Recommendation for regional centers 80 70 Number of institutions 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 National Task Force on Teacher Education in Physics: Report Synopsis www.ptec.org/taskforce Number of graduates in 2-year period 15
Undergraduate Physics and STEM majors!450,000!!!400,000!!!350,000!!!300,000!!!250,000!!!200,000!!!150,000!!!100,000!!!50,000!! All!STEM! Physics!!16,000!!!14,000!!!12,000!!!10,000!!!8,000!!!6,000!!!4,000!!!2,000!!!"!!!"!! 1965% 1970% 1975% 1980% 1985% 1990% 1995% 2000% 2005% 2010% Source: NCES 16
Why Biology Doesn t Have Our Problem 450" 400" Number"of"Departments" 350" 300" 250" 200" 150" 100" 50" 0" 0(4" 5(9" 10(14" 15(19" 20(24" 25(29" 30" Physics"Bachelor"Degrees"per"Year"(2005(09)" Source:"NCES"" 17
APS / AAPT 2007 Statement on Doubling We advocate doubling the number of bachelor degrees in physics to address critical national needs including K-12 education, economic competitiveness, energy, security, and an informed electorate An essential area of increase is in the number of highlyqualified high school physics teachers An essential area of increase is in the fraction of both women and under-represented minorities who major in physics 18
Percentage of Women in Physics 25%# 20%# Bachelor# Doctorate# PostDoctorate# 15%# 10%# 5%# Source: IPEDS, AIP SRC 0%# 1965# 1970# 1975# 1980# 1985# 1990# 1995# 2000# 2005# 2010# 19
Percentage of Women in Physics 25%# 20%# 15%# Bachelor# Doctorate# PostDoctorate# Assistant# Associate# Full# 10%# 5%# Source: IPEDS, AIP SRC 0%# 1965# 1970# 1975# 1980# 1985# 1990# 1995# 2000# 2005# 2010# 20
APS Programs for Women Female-friendly graduate programs WIPHYS, LinkedIn groups APS/IBM research internship Childcare grants to attend meetings Travel grants / Speakers list Woman physicist of the month Professional Skills workshops Climate site visits www.womeninphysics.org 21
Minorities in higher education 40% 35% ~1.5M All Physics 30% URM Percentage 25% 20% 15% ~200k 10% ~450 ~35 ~12 5% 0% College Age Population All Bachelor Degrees Physics Bachelor Degrees Physics Doctoral Degrees Physics Faculty 22
APS Programs for Minorities APS Minority Scholarship Support under-represented minorities majoring in physics Scholarship and mentoring APS Bridge Program Increase under-represented minorities with PhD in physics Stipend, mentoring, research, rigorous coursework, application coaching 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0% ~400 degrees Bachelor's Degrees ~30 more PhDs ~40 degrees Doctoral Degrees Project Goals Current Situation www.minoritiesinphysics.org 23
GRE Quantitative Scores 750# 700# 650# Undergraduate#GPA#=#A# Major#in#Physical#Science# 600# 550# 500# 450# 400# Men# Women## Asian# American# White# American# Indian# Other# Hispanic# Mexican# American# Puerto# Rican## African# American# GRE#QuanQtaQve#scores#for#US#CiQzens# Source:#ETS,#"Factors#that#can#influence#performance#on# the#gre#general#test#2006o2007"# 24
Admissions Bias? 680 660 GRE Scores for Physics Subject Test Before Graduate Admission After Graduate Admission Graduate GPA 3.8 3.7 640 3.6 620 3.5 600 3.4 580 560 3.3 540 3.2 520 3.1 500 Female Male Female!"#$% &$'"#$% Male 3.0 Source: PhD Recipients from Oregon State University 25
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