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American Journal of Physics -- November 2010 -- Volume 78, Issue 11, pp. 1218

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

Valerie Otero1, Steven Pollock2, and Noah Finkelstein2

1School of Education, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309
2Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309

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In response to substantial evidence that many U.S. students are inadequately prepared in science and mathematics, we have developed an effective and adaptable model that improves the education of all students in introductory physics and increases the numbers of talented physics majors becoming certified to teach physics. We report on the Colorado Learning Assistant model and discuss its effectiveness at a large research university. Since its inception in 2003, we have increased the pool of well-qualified K–12 physics teachers by a factor of approximately three, engaged scientists significantly in the recruiting and preparation of future teachers, and improved the introductory physics sequence so that students’ learning gains are typically double the traditional average.

© 2010 American Association of Physics Teachers

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of National Science Foundation (Award Nos. DUE-0302134, DUE 424144, DUE-833258, and DRL-0554616), and the support of American Institute of Physics, the American Association of Physics Teachers, the PhysTEC program of the American Physical Society, and the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities’ Science and Mathematics Teacher Imperative.

Article Outline

  1. INTRODUCTION: THE U.S. EDUCATIONAL CONTEXT
  2. THE COLORADO LEARNING ASSISTANT MODEL
  3. RESULTS OF THE LA PROGRAM
    1. Impact of the LA program on teacher recruitment
    2. Impact of the LA program on physics content knowledge
    3. Impact of the LA program on faculty
  4. SCALING THE LA PROGRAM
  5. SUSTAINING SUCCESSFUL LA PROGRAMS

KEYWORDS and PACS

Keywords

physics education, teacher training, teaching

PACS

  • 01.40.Fk

    Research in physics education

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History
Received Nov 2009
Accepted Jul 2010

PUBLICATION DATA

ISSN

0002-9505 (print)  

Publisher

$abstract.society.value is a Member of CrossRef American Association of Physics Teachers

ARTICLE DATA

Digital Object Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.1119/1.3471291

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