new faculty experience for two-year college physics instructors

Dr. Todd R. Leif Scott SchultzCloud County CC Delta College Concordia, KS University City, MI

New Faculty Experience for Two-Year College Physics Instructors

Intensive Training Experience (TOTAL PACKAGE)

Enhance STEM Student Learning (STUDENT LEARNER DRIVEN)

Developing New Physics Faculty at Two-year Colleges (COMMUNITY BUILDING)

Includes online discussions of seminal papers in physics education research (ON-LINE)

Four-day intensive spring institute (FACE TO FACE)15 months of on-line mentoring (FOLLOW UP)

Two-day commencement conference held in tandem with an American Association of Physics Teachers national summer meeting (SHARING and COMMUNITY BUILDING)

Extension into the realm of Astronomy Education (FLEXIBLE)

NFE-TYC Project Description

Delta Group (Pilot)Butler CC Group (Initial Grant)

Peer and Professionals Together

Reaching a significant number of new physics instructors to give them a working knowledge of recent developments in physics pedagogy.

Presenting the material in an active engagement environment that models the type of classroom management that we desire them to implement.

Mentoring the participants to provide them the support they need to make significant change in their program.

Intellectual merit initially proposed :

Model Space/Model Materials

The creation of a sustainable network of new physics teachers who will continue to provide further learning opportunities for their new colleagues as well as participation in the greater scholarly structure of the physics education continuum.

Intellectual merit modified :

Significant impact on the manner in which students are taught at the participant’s institutions.

Students from participant’s institutions will be better prepared in the content of the material covered in the physics courses at these institutions.

Students will have developed skill sets that are valued by employers due to the experience of being taught physics using strategies known to promote a deeper understanding of physics content.

Resulting broader impacts include:

Classroom Management Styles

Creation and examination of models of professional development mentoring and guidance via direct and on-line interactions within a community of physics learners and teachers.

Modified broader impacts include :

Recommendation 1: Professional development is best served by creating an environment where “sharing experiences” with peers becomes the common practice.

Recommendation 2: Professional development program leadership should provide “easily modifiable” and accessible materials to participants.

Recommendation 3: Teachers of Physics tend to be evolutionary in their efforts to modify their teaching, therefore programs should allow for sufficient time to make change.

Recommendation 4: Professional development is best served by the creation of a network of people with similar problems, similar backgrounds and similar experiences.

Recommendation 5: Professional development practitioners should view success based on the professional development usefulness in the classroom, rather than the full integration and implementation of a specific curriculum.

Professional Development Driven by Research

Recommendation 1: Professional development is best served by creating an environment where “sharing experiences” with peers becomes the common practice.

Recommendation 2: Professional development program leadership should provide “easily modifiable” and accessible materials to participants.

Recommendation 3: Teachers of Physics tend to be evolutionary in their efforts to modify their teaching, therefore programs should allow for sufficient time to make change.

Recommendation 4: Professional development is best served by the creation of a network of people with similar problems, similar backgrounds and similar experiences.

Recommendation 5: Professional development practitioners should view success based on the professional development usefulness in the classroom, rather than the full integration and implementation of a specific curriculum.

Professional Development Experiences Should Provide:Access to adaptable materials, Peer guidance, Practical classroom experiences,A strong mentorship and community building program.

This structure based on prior research into the effectiveness of various mentorship strategies as well as results from our initial two projects. NFE-TYC PilotNFE-TYC I

Summary of Recommendations

NFE-TYC II ACCEPTNG APPLICATIONS NOW