JMU is about to become one of the newest PhysTEC-supported
sites in a nationwide effort to improve and promote the training of physics
teachers. As high school physics enrollments continue to climb, only around a
third of high school physics teachers have a major in physics or physics
education. In fact, a 2010 American Association for Employment in Education
report ranked physics as the subject with the highest demand for teachers out
of 60 subjects considered.
As the shortage continues, there is a pressing need
for inspired teachers with a solid foundation of physics content and insight
into the challenges and opportunities unique to physics pedagogy.
With a $300k grant from
PhysTEC (Physics Teacher Education
Coalition), JMU will become the newest comprehensive site to address this need.
The award was announced in 2012 to fund efforts implemented starting in Fall 2013
and is coordinated by a project team that includes collaboration among faculty
in Physics & Astronomy (Brian Utter, Scott Paulson, Mark Mattson),
Psychology (David Daniel), the College of Education (David Slykhuis), and
Harrisonburg High School (Andy Jackson). The overarching goal is to offer a
program in which students can explore teaching as an option, gain teaching experience,
learn about physics pedagogy, and engage with a community of fellow students. A
few of the main PhysTEC elements that will be implemented in Fall 2013 include:
• Physics Pedagogy Course: A two-credit 200-level physics
teaching methods course developed by JMU Psychology Professor David Daniel, an
expert in the science of learning and STEM education, in collaboration with
local physics teachers, will be offered each fall. The class focuses on Pedagogical
Content Knowledge -- that is, the study of effective teaching strategies specifically
in the context of physics education. Topics such as metacognition, scaffolding,
technology, conceptual change, and pre-conceptions are discussed in terms of
the challenges in teaching and learning physics.
• Teacher in Residence: Each year, an experienced high school physics
teacher will work for a year in residence in the Department of Physics and
Astronomy as a local expert in high school physics teaching. As a front-lines
expert, the TIR will serve as a voice of experience in the pedagogy course, a
mentor for students interested in pursuing teaching, a liaison with the College
of Education, and a motivator and organizer for the JMU physics teaching
community.
• Learning Assistant Program: Beginning in 2011, introductory
physics courses included a new way to grapple with the sometimes challenging
concepts that students encounter in learning physics. Undergraduate Learning
Assistants (LAs) were hired to facilitate weekly tutorials that focus on
conceptual stumbling blocks that many students encounter. “Tutorials in Physics,”
based on the work of the Physics Education Research group at the University of
Washington, focuses on common hurdles in learning physics. In weekly prep
meetings, LAs anticipate the likely problems and discuss strategies for
facilitating the discussions. While primarily intended to improve the learning
of students in introductory physics, the LA program offers the ideal way for
sophomore physics majors to get teaching experience (and get paid!).
These are just a few of the many plans that are part of our
PhysTEC program. We’re excited about these and other opportunities for our students
that will be enabled by our collaboration with PhysTEC and we’re looking
forward to a great start in the fall!
For additional information on JMU PhysTEC or the Secondary Education Track in Physics, please contact Dr. Brian Utter (utterbc@jmu.edu).
