Ball State University Project Report 2007
Collaboration
Collaboration among the Physics Department, Education College, University Administrators, and Local Public School Systems
Successes
- Throughout the duration of the PhysTEC project, science educators were members of the department’s PhysTEC Team.
- Science Educators (from the Biology Department) provided valuable leadership when a Teacher Advisory Group (TAG) was formed. Members of the TAG included representatives from the Teachers College, middle school science educators and physics teachers from the immediate area, and representatives from the Indiana Department of Education.
- A key Ball State Science Educator that was with the project between 2003 and 2006 was Dr. Walter Smith, the director of the university’s Ed.D. programs in Science and Science Education. He provided valuable insight to PhysTEC faculty on major current issues in science education. He also taught the gateway course for all preservice science teachers. He was also responsible for forming the Cardinal Association of Teachers Student organization (CATS) and assisting the department in working with area inservice middle school science teachers in Saturday workshop sessions.
- The Director of the Office of Teaching Services has also been a key contact in the Teachers College for the PhysTEC project.
- One of the Associate Deans of the College of Sciences and Humanities was extremely helpful in keeping the Dean of the College of Sciences and Humanities informed of the PhysTEC project; in turn the Dean kept the Provost informed of progress throughout the project.
Challenges
- Effective collaborations with area teachers and the university’s Professional Development Schools require regular communication and activities with these colleagues, so faculty must make a substantial time commitment.
Sustainability/Institutional Buy-In
- For the past five years, academic year teacher training activities have expanded through the PhysTEC program. Physics department faculty must continue to collaborate with other disciplines producing teachers for STEM education and, in addition, keep their departmental colleagues informed of progress in this area.
- The College of Sciences and Humanities and the Physics and Astronomy Department have adopted the philosophy that whatever is good pedagogy for preservice teachers is good for departmental majors and will lead to a growing department. This type of philosophy will continue to facilitate departmental buy-in.
- Through its long-term support for the summer program for updating and retraining physics teachers, our department has shown its willingness to sustain efforts to increase the number of physics teachers.
Lessons Learned
- There needs to be more than one science educator in a Physics and Astronomy Department who is interested in and responsible for teacher education programs.
- A TIR can be a valued colleague to the faculty responsible who are working with teachers, and he/she can help keep this theme on the radar screens of university leadership. Administrative support at the college level and above is crucial in sustaining teacher education programs.
- Keeping a well-planned calendar that provides for TAG meetings, department Open Houses for area teachers and students, and active participation in state AAPT and NSTA meetings are key to keeping your program energized and connecting to the activities and needs of Indiana’s science classrooms.
Collaboration among the Physics Department, Education College, University Administrators, and Local Public School Systems
- The Department of Physics and Astronomy Has played a leadership role in the Indiana AAPT and thereby build strong relationships among the physics teachers in the state.
- The department has also provided Indiana science teachers and physics teachers in particular a summer updating/Retraining program since 1984.
- Walter Smith, a Science Educator and biology professor, played a significant role in forming CATS (as mentioned above), and also he developed the Gateway course for all secondary preservice science teachers.
- Another PhysTEC team member, Melissa Mitchell, Professor of Biology and science methods instructor, revised, “Science as Inquiry," the methods course for elementary preservice students.
- During 2005-2006, TIR Neil Anthony brought together Community College faculty, Muncie Public School administrators, Ball State administrators, and community/vocational workforce representatives to attend state education (DOE) conferences on STEM education. Collaborative grants were submitted; although no funding has been awarded up to this time, these relationships continue to exist and collaborative grant programs continue to be investigated.
Collaboration with Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana
Successes
- After TIR Neil Anthony returned to his classroom and administrative responsibilities at Ivy Tech, a local community college, he developed a two-year physics major program that becomes transferable to a four-year physics major program. The second program under development is a two-year Elementary Education program that will transfer to a four-year program.
Challenges
- These new community college programs are being disseminated throughout the state; program quality and assessment of learning in the community college system is a high priority of all administrators in the community colleges of Indiana.
Sustainability/Institutional Buy-In
- Department faculty found our TIR, Neil Anthony, to be an effective recruiter of teaching majors and department majors. Departmental doctoral students, master-degree candidates, and undergraduate preservice physics teachers were hired in various positions at Ivy Tech, thereby establishing bridges with Ball State.
Lessons Learned
- Opportunities for collaborative partnerships exist among the department, the community college, and the local schools. When STEM and workforce initiatives are discussed within the college of Sciences and Humanities, contacts can be made with colleagues in these areas in our city and community college region.
- A single TIR could make a strong connection between the community college and local university.
Activity Summary
- Just as with our College of Education, collaborations with community colleges is important as a source for recruiting future science teachers and for providing preservice science teachers with field experiences supervised by our TIRs. Four of our former TIRs have been or continue to be adjunct faculty in the local community college system; Neil Anthony is an administrator in the local community college and this past year initiated discussions with Ball State for several programs – one in elementary education and the other an associate degree in science.)
- Also, former TIRS also serve as BSU adjunct faculty, including Jim Bogan, George Hill, and Mike Wolter.
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