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Teacher Education at Illinois State University

PHYSICS 312 -- PHYSICS TEACHING FROM THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE (INQUIRY!)

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS

Spring Semester 2008

Drop Down to Course Outline

(Updated 1/24/2008)

Catalog Description:

PHYSICS TEACHING FROM THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE (INQUIRY!)   3 s.h.  Spring

20 hrs in PHY. Adm to Teacher Ed req.
Overview of the development of classical scientific thought relating to physical phenomena with implications for pedagogy. Note: This is a five-week course taken during the same semester as, but prior to, student teaching.

WARNING: Associated with this course is one or more NSTA-mandated summative performance assessments linked with Professional Studies' Admission to Student Teaching gateway. Failure to adequately demonstrate the required competencies in a timely fashion will result in the teacher candidate being barred from student teaching.

Instructor:

Name: Dr. Carl J. Wenning, Coordinator
Physics Teacher Education Program
Office Location: Moulton Hall, Room 322
Office Hours: drop in or by appointment
Telephones: (309) 438-2957 (office); 454-4164 (home); 830-4085 (cell)
e-mail address: wenning@phy.ilstu.edu

Meeting Days/Times/Location:

By mutual agreement, the class will meet every Monday from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and every Tuesday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. assuming no formal breaks. (Recall that PHY 353 meets immediately after this class on Monday evenings from approximately 8:30 - 9:30 p.m.) We will meet for five weeks, from January 14, 2007 through Friday, February 15, 2007. The only exceptions will be during the second and fifth weeks of class when we will move to a Thursday/Friday class, January 24/25 and February 14/15. (If necessary, we will also be meeting on the Monday of Martin Luther King Day, a national holiday.) Class meetings will be held in Moulton Hall room 307-B unless noted otherwise. {Student teaching begins Monday, February 18, 2008 and continues through May 3, 2008.}

Methodology:

This course will have a learning environment that is student centered, knowledge centered, assessment centered, and community centered. This course will be student centered to the extent that the teacher builds on knowledge students bring to the learning situations. This course will be knowledge centered to the extent that the teacher helps students develop an organized understanding of important concepts in the physics teaching discipline. This course will be assessment centered to the extent that the teacher makes students' thinking visible so that ideas can be presented and verified. This course will be community centered to the extent that the teacher establishes classroom norms that learning with understanding is valued and students feel free to explore what they do not understand.

Each 210-minute meeting period will include the following items within the following approximate time constraints - 1.5 classes, each whole class consisting of the following 140-minute block (due to compressing the course from 3 meetings per week to 2 meetings per week) within which there will be:

In this course, as in other Physics Teacher Education courses, emphasis will be placed on an Assessment-for-Learning policy where reasonably possible. That is, assessments of student performance will be used not only to assign grades, but also to improve student performance. Unsatisfactory written work will be returned to the student for improvement. A student's score can be improved following appropriate revision and resubmission of "unsatisfactory" course projects, so long as all deadlines are met.

Course Goals:

Performance Objectives for All Undergraduates:

To be admitted to student teaching, every teacher candidate must demonstrate each of the following competencies:

Source of Course Objective

Correlated Assessment
(1) create two inquiry-oriented lessons that will be used to support the teaching of the unit plan required in PHY 311. NSTA # 3 - Inquiry
NSTA # 5 - General Skills of Teaching
NSTA #10 - Professional Growth
312A
(2) teach two 50-minute inquiry lessons (not labs) that are scientifically and pedagogically meaningful, present physical principles and concepts, as well as the basic reasoning skills of scientist, and appeal to and age-appropriate for secondary school learners.

NSTA # 1 - Content of Science
NSTA # 3 - Inquiry
NSTA # 5 - General Skills of Teaching
NSTA # 7 - Science in the Community
NSTA #10 - Professional Growth

312B
(3) identify, confront, and resolve issues relating to those factors arrayed against inquiry-based instruction. NSTA # 3 - Inquiry
NSTA # 5 - General Skills of Teaching
312C
(4) assemble a "Physics Toolkit" that they can rely on as a student teacher. Teacher candidates should collect important books, resource guides, a set of hyperlinks, demonstration and lab materials, etc. NSTA # 5 - General Skills of Teaching
NSTA #10 - Professional Growth
312D
(5) keep and maintain a lesson and lab notebook that includes a summary of all lab and lesson activities (including demonstrations) encountered in this course, as well as specified resources. NSTA # 5 - General Skills of Teaching
NSTA #10 - Professional Growth
312E
(6) regularly complete multiple-choice quizzes dealing with the history of physics. The basis for these quizzes will be the historical vignettes that were assigned as homework readings.

NSTA # 1 - Content of Science
NSTA #2 - Nature of Science
NSTA # 3 - Inquiry
312 F
(7) participate meaningfully in all class lessons (convert instructor-provided high school physics student performance objectives into meaningful inquiry-oriented laboratory activities and then perform those activities, discussions of readings, critical thinking activities, and Nature of Science Case Study) by actively participating and contributing ideas that reflect more than a recitation of material read. NSTA #3 - Inquiry
312G

Additional Course Objective for Graduate Students:

Students who take this course for graduate credit will be required to complete one project to satisfy the following additional course objective:

(8) develop a coherent, focused physics history unit that is consistent with state and national standards for science education, includes community involvement and alternative assessment, and is appropriate to the needs, abilities and interests of all students.

NSTA # 6 - Curriculum
NSTA # 7 - Social Context
NSTA # 8 - Assessment
NSTA#10 - Professional Practice

Course Alignment with Teacher Education Unit's Conceptual Framework:

 Conceptual Framework

Course Objective No.
Moral Virtues:
 Sensitivity toward the varieties of individual and cultural diversity.

3
 Disposition and ability to collaborate ethically and effectively with others.

2, 4
 Reverence for learning and seriousness of personal, professional, and public purpose.

all
 Respect for learners of all ages, with special regard for children and adolescents.

2, 4
Intellectual Virtues:
 Wide general knowledge and deep knowledge of the content to be taught.

all
 Knowledge and appreciation of the diversity among learners.

3
 Understanding what affects learning and appropriate teaching strategies.

1, 2, 3, 6
 Interest in and an ability to seek out informational, technological, and collegial resources.

1, 2, 3, 6
 Contagious intellectual enthusiasm and courage enough to be creative.

1, 2, 3, 6


Course Outline:

The following knowledge is assumed: Levels of Inquiry, Writing Student Performance Objectives, and Resources for Teaching. The following content-area topics will serve as unifying themes for classes within this course:

Day
Date

Topic(s)

NOS
Case Study

Inquiry
Lesson

Homework
Assignment

M
1/14

Motion
Introduction & Review

C#1

N/A
(course overview)

 Read associated historical vignettes; complete Mallard Reading Quiz 1 before next class; complete book readings 1-6 before next class; work on lesson plans as required; prepare inquiry lesson as necessary; begin Ad Hoc Committee work, read What an Inquiry Lesson is NOT.

M/T
1/14-15
Force
Q&A about book readings No.1 & No.2

C#2

Instructor
(handout)

T
1/15
Pressure
Q&A about book readings No.3

C#3

Instructor
(handout)

R
1/24
Energy & Momentum(1)
Q&A about book readings No.4

C#4

N/A (Ad Hoc Committee work)
Read associated historical vignettes; complete Mallard Reading Quiz 2 before next class; complete book readings 7-9 before next class; work on lesson plans as required; prepare inquiry lesson as necessary; continue Ad Hoc Committee work.

R/F
1/24-25
Energy & Momentum(2)
Q&A about book readings No.5

C#5

Drew

F
1/25
Waves(1)
Q&A about book readings No.6

C#6

Scott

M
1/28
Waves(2)
Q&A about book readings No.7

C#7

John
Read associated historical vignettes; complete Mallard Reading Quiz 3 before next class; complete book readings 10-12 before next class; work on lesson plans as required; prepare inquiry lesson as necessary; continue Ad Hoc Committee work.

M/T
1/28-29
Light & Optics(1)
Q&A about book readings No.8

C#8

Ted

T
1/29
Light & Optics(2)
Q&A about book readings No.9

C#9

Mike

M
2/04
Electricity & Magnetism(1)
Q&A about book readings No.10

C#10

Chris
Read associated historical vignettes; complete Mallard Reading Quiz 4 before next class; complete book readings 13-14 before next class; work on lesson plans as required; prepare inquiry lesson as necessary; complete Ad Hoc Committee work.

M/T
2/04-05
Electricity & Magnetism(2)
Q&A about book readings No.11

C#11

Erik

T
2/05
Electricity & Magnetism(3)
Q&A about book readings No.12

C#12

Matt

R
2/14

Temperature & Heat
Q&A about book readings No.13

C#13

Shane
Read associated historical vignettes; complete Mallard Reading Quiz 5 before start of student teaching.

R/F
2/14-15

Atomic & Nuclear Physics
Q&A about book readings No.14

C#14

N/A

F
2/15

 Summing Up
C#15, &tc.
Ad Hoc Committee presentation

Textbooks:

One text will be used in this course for background reading: Cunningham, J. & Herr, N. (1994). Hands-On Physics Activities with Real-Life Applications. The Center for Applied Research in Education. Students should already own this book courtesy of the Illinois Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers and their Guidebook Program for teacher candidates.

Additionally, the following books are recommended and provide additional pedagogical content knowledge background; several copies are available for loan from the course instructor:

Students will want to investigate Eric Weisstein's World of Scientific Biography at Wolfram Research for many online biographies.An especially good historical reference with more detailed biographical sketches is Isaac Asimov's Biographical Encyclopedia of Science and Technology (1972, New York: Avon Books) available for loan from the course instructor or for purchase from Amazon.com.

Reading & Quiz Assignments by Class: (readings should be completed before the class in question)

  1. Motion:
  2. Force:
  3. Pressure:
  4. Energy and Momentum (Part I):
  5. Energy and Momentum (Part II):
  6. Waves (Part I):
  7. Waves (Part II):
  8. Light (Part I):
  9. Light (Part II):
  10. Electricity and Magnetism (Part I):
  11. Electricity and Magnetism (Part II):
  12. Temperature and Heat:
  13. Thermodynamics:
  14. Atomic & Nuclear Physics:

 Student Performance Assessments:

The following work assignments will be used to assess student performance in relation to each of the stated performance objectives:

312A: WRITE INQUIRY LESSON PLAN (10% of course grade)

The student will individually prepare and present one 50-minute inquiry-oriented lesson plan (not lab) following Inquiry Lesson Plan Guidelines. In addition, the lesson must include some consideration for the unifying concepts and processes of science OR some consideration for the technological applications of science (see Hands-on Physics Activities with Real-Life Applications by Cunningham and Herr). The lesson plan will be assessed using an Inquiry Lesson Scoring Rubric. The lesson's student performance objectives must comply with Student Performance Assessment Guidelines. Before beginning work, students should read Levels of Inquiry and Writing Student Performance Objectives and What an Inquiry Lesson is NOT.

 312B: TEACH ONE INQUIRY LESSON (20% of course grade)

Each student will individually present the above 50-minute inquiry-oriented lesson (not lab) geared toward high school students in an introductory physics course. The lesson must include some consideration for the unifying concepts and processes of science OR some consideration for the technological applications of science (see Hands-on Physics Activities with Real-Life Applications by Cunningham and Herr). Student performance will be peer assessed using an Inquiry Lesson Scoring Rubric. Lessons will be videotaped. Students may improve their overall scores on the taught inquiry lessons by completing a debriefing with the course instructor followed by a written professional reflection.

312C: AD HOC COMMITTEE PRESENTATION (10% of course grade)

Students will participate in an Ad Hoc Committee PBL activity in which they will identify, confront, and resolve impediments arrayed against inquiry-based instruction. Special consideration must be included for climate setting as well. Each student will cooperatively participate in a 30-minute class presentation. Participation will be peer assessed using a problem-based learning scoring rubric.

312D: STUDENT TEACHER EFFECTIVENESS PLAN - STEP 3 (50% of course grade)

As part of the Student Teacher Effectiveness Review System, each student will create a detailed outline for a student teaching performance assessment following specific and detailed requirements and a STEP 3 Scoring Rubric. The assessment plan, STEP 3 of a four-step system, will address the following components: misconceptions, objectives, activities, assessments, and (in 2007) classroom environments. Due last day of class before student teaching. Note: This is an NSTA-mandated student performance assessment. Failure to adequately demonstrate the required competency at a mastery level (82% or above) will result in the teacher candidate being barred from student teaching.

312E: READING QUIZZES (10% of course grade)

Students will complete a series of Mallard quizzes that focus on readings taken from Cunningham & Herr, Arons, and from the historical vignettes. Reading quizzes should be completed prior the corresponding classes. The quizzes for this course may be accessed at the following Web site: https://mallard.phy.ilstu.edu/phy312wenning/ (secure server - note the "s" on "https"). Login names are the ULID (e.g., sroberts) and passwords are UID (e.g., 834578364). There normally will be about 10 questions worth one point each; each quiz is equally weighted. Caution: These are one-chance quizzes; quizzes may not be repeated for an improved score. Repeated tests automatically score zero; do not retry.

312F: CLASS PARTICIPATION (0% of course grade)

Students will be evaluated on the degree of their contributions to in-class discussions and other group activities. Class participation will be assessed with the use of a Participation Rubric. While such participation will be evaluated, it will not part of the final course grade. It will, however, be used to help the PTE program coordinator to make recommendation about passage through graduation gateway.

Submission Deadlines:

All required Student Tasks/Assignments MUST be completed and/or turned in by the Friday prior to student teaching. There will be no exception to this rule. In the advent that work is not completed and submitted in final form by the due date, the start of student teaching will be delayed until such time as all work is complete and submitted. Alternatively, the duration of student teaching will be extended by the number of days the work is late.

Academic Integrity:

Students are expected to be honest in all academic work. A student's name on any in academic exercise shall be regarded as assurance that the work is the result of the student's own thought and study. Offenses involving academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to the following: cheating, computer dishonesty, plagiarism, grade falsification, and collusion. For more information about this important topic, visit the Student Dispute Resolution Web site.

Grading:

The following table represents the relative weighting of the tasks and activities:

 Inquiry Lesson Plan

50 points

 Teach Inquiry Lesson

100 points

 Ad Hoc Committee Presentation

50 points
 Student Teacher Effectiveness Plan 3
250 points
 Reading Quizzes
50 points

 Total

500 points

Criterion-base grading standards have been set as follows:

 A > 90%

 82% < B < 90%

 74% < C < 82%

 66% < D < 74%

 F < 66%

SAAMEE: A Model for Academic Success

Caution: Keep in mind as you progress toward student teaching that as a student teacher your students will have an interest in finding out about you. This will lead them to Internet searches. Don't put anything on a web page, uTube, Facebook, MySpace, etc., that you wouldn't want students, parents, teachers or administrators to see.

Disposition Concerns: The College of Education, in an effort to ensure top quality graduates, provides faculty members and interested others with the opportunity to provide input into the teacher preparation process. One of these inputs is in the area of disposition concerns. Education faculty, in particular, are encouraged to bring to attention of CECP any significant problems associated with the following major areas. If three or more filed dispositions concerns have not been resolved, the teacher candidate will be blocked from advancing in Professional Studies.

Continuing Education/Professional Development for Teacher Candidates:

As a science teacher candidate, you need to regularly update your knowledge about the worlds of science and education. Here are several weekly online journals to which you might consider reading, and some will allow you to subscribe to an e-mail newsletter format so you won't miss a thing:

 

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