Both university faculty and the Teacher Leaders develop an expanded range of pedagogical and leadership skills that they share with others, as they serve as resources and catalysts for reform in science education at the secondary and post-secondary institutional levels. In addition to the science teachers involved in the summer physics academies, selected teachers of mathematics from the same schools participate in a concurrent weeklong academy, and school administrators attend a three-day academy, in order to provide additional support for teachers and students as they engage in freshman physics.
Project Contributions
"Teacher leadership is a unique aspect of teacher identity. In this chapter we have explored the construction of 'identity as a teacher leader' through a review of the literature and…
"This study investigated the processes and pathways of leadership development of teachers in different career stages as they participated in a professional development program. A multiple case study approach with…
"While iPads and other mobile devices are gaining popularity in educational settings, challenges associated with teachers' use of technology continue to hold true. Preparing preservice teachers within teacher preparation programs…
Watch Video >> Only 40% of graduating US high school seniors take physics. Yet physics, as a fundamental science, is required for all college science and engineering majors. In parallel,…
Posted by: Meera Chandrasekhar . Exploring Physics is a curriculum app is an interactive inquiry- and modeling-based conceptual physics curriculum for high school Conceptual Physics, Physics First and Physical Science courses. It combines hands-on activities…
"We present two tools developed for supporting teachers in the classroom following a content and pedagogy focused professional development program. The first tool is geared to face-to-face observations, while the…
"Curriculum materials play a key role in improving science education; however, curricula alone will not lead to enhanced student learning. Factors such as students' opportunity to learn and the way…
Curriculum materials play a key role in improving science education; however, curricula alone will not lead to enhanced student learning. Factors such as students' opportunity to learn and the way…
Posted by: Deborah Hanuscin . This article synthesizes teachers' initial views of 'teacher leadership' and the implications for professional development.
"To enact new educational reform efforts, it is recognized that teacher leaders are essential to bring about the needed expertise to implement and sustain such efforts. Yet, little is known…
" Leadership in Freshman Physics is an NSF-funded professional development program designed to support 9th grade teacher leaders in the successful implementation of a 'Physics First' or curriculum sequence that places…
Posted by: Meera Chandrasekhar . Our project, currently in its third year, seeks to increase both the teaching effectiveness and leadership capacity of ninth grade physics teachers. Our professional development program, which consists of three…
Posted by: Deborah Hanuscin . Increasingly, teacher leadership is being recognized as an essential ingredient in education reforms (York-Barr & Duke, 2004); however, few teachers consider themselves leaders. For many teachers, becoming a leader is…
Posted by: Deborah Hanuscin . Teacher leadership has been recognized as a necessary ingredient to support educational reform efforts. Leaders provide the needed expertise to ensure reforms are successful in promoting student learning. The overarching…
Posted by: Meera Chandrasekhar . This newsletter features reflections on the June summer academy by teachers, coaches, and administrators. A summary of responses from math teachers who attended a one-week parallel academy was published as a supplement to the regular August…
Posted by: Meera Chandrasekhar . This newsletter features articles by master teachers on what it takes to become a great teacher, and the 5E learning cycle. It also includes leadership experiences of participants in the first year of participation.
The vision of this project is to prepare Missouri's 9th grade science teachers to become intellectual leaders as they learn to teach a yearlong freshman physics course to their students.…
Posted by: Meera Chandrasekhar . Talks given at NSTA discuss 1) how to use spark timer data to study Uniform and Accelerated motion, and 2) how the area under the curve is used in understanding and calculating quantities in physics.…
Posted by: Meera Chandrasekhar . The Aug 2010 issue of the A TIME for Physics First newsletter includes a report on our first summer academy, a set of letters written by Math teacher to teachers…
Posted by: Meera Chandrasekhar . The April 2010 newsletter includes an article on wavelets by our math faculty member, and profiles on our coaches and mentors.
Posted by: Meera Chandrasekhar . The Dec 2010 issue of the A TIME for Physics First Newsletter includes articles on whiteboarding, student absenteeism and successes and challenges faced by teachers as they implement a yearlong…
This paper addresses the following claim(s): "Our project's two research questions are: Research Question 1 : In a teacher professional development project, can enhancement of pedagogical practice, student content acquisition…