A physics department’s role in preparing physics teachers: The Colorado learning assistant model

摘要

Physics majors are typically not recruited or adequatelynprepared to teach high school physics. One needs only tonlook at reports,1 international2,3 and national4 studies, andnresearch on student learning5 for evidence. Two out of threenU.S. high school physics teachers have neither a major nor anminor in physics,6 and there are no subject matter specialtiesnthat have a greater shortage of teachers than mathematics,nchemistry, and physics.7 Many undergraduates are not learningnthe foundational content in the sciences,8,9 and averagencomposite SAT/ACT scores of students who enter teachingnare far below scores of those who go into engineering, research,nscience, and other related fields.10 The effects may bendramatic. For example, only 29% of U.S. eighth grade studentsnscored at or above proficient on the National Assessmentnof Educational Progress in 2005.11 What is worse isnthat only 18% of U.S. high school seniors scored at or abovenproficient.11 With few exceptions, universities and researchnuniversities in particular, are producing very few physicsnteachers.12 And some universities are sending the message,nusually implicit but often explicit, that such a career is not angoal worthy of talented students.13