Cal Poly site leader Chance Hoellwarth and Teacher-in-Residence Nancy Staugh review the day-by-day plan, which describes interactive learning activities and promotes sustainability of course reforms.

 

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Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Project Report 2007

Demographics

PhysTEC Definitions

PhysTEC Graduates

Grade Band	Baseline			Project
PhysTEC Teachers	Year 1 2000 - 2001	Year 2 2001 - 2002	Year 3 2002 - 2003	Year 1 2003 - 2004	Year 2 2004 - 2005	Year 3 2005 - 2006	Year 4 2006 - 2007
Pre-High School	87	86	79	1	8	20	49
Secondary	0	1	0	0	0	2	4

(Secondary graduates are certified to teach physics.)

Commentary on PhysTEC graduates data:

• The number of pre-high school PhysTEC graduates is small and growing rapidly, because a pre-high school PhysTEC graduate took either of the reformed physical science courses and they received their credential. The physical science courses are lower division courses, so it takes students two or three years from the time they took the course until they graduate and then another year to complete the credential program.
• High school PhysTEC graduates took the reformed methods course (PSC 424), were mentored by one of our TIRs, and received their credential. The taking of the course and the mentoring occur the year before they become certified to teach physics.

PhysTEC Enrollment

Course Type	Baseline			Project
	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 4
	2000 - 2001	2001 - 2002	2002 - 2003	2003 - 2004	2004 - 2005	2005 - 2006	2006 - 2007
1st quarter Physics for Elementry Teachers	235	236	225	194	160	224	172
2nd quarter Physics for Elementary Teachers	121	81	74	62	17	10	28
Third quarter introductory physics, calculus - based: mechanics	1218	1399	1195	0	347	284	0
Third quarter introductory physics, calculus - based: electricity & magnetism						172	170
Science Teaching Methods	0	0	0	0	10	14	17
Introduction to Teaching							7
Early Field Experience							4

Commentary on enrollment data:

Physics for Elementary Teachers

• The first quarter course consists of students from all non-science majors. The second quarter course consists of Liberal Studies majors only-- non-science majors who are on track to become elementary teachers.
• The number of Liberal Studies majors the second quarter course is declining, which can be seen in the baseline data. The number of Liberal Studies majors is increasing, so we think that this is due to more students coming to college with credit in chemistry, which corresponds to this course.
• The numbers of students taking the second quarter course are very low for year 2, year 3, and year 4 of the project. This is because we are not double-counting students, so any student who took the 1st quarter course is not counted. This is not true for the baseline numbers.

Calculus-based

• The numbers of students during the project years are much lower than the baseline numbers because the baseline numbers include all sections taught where as the PhysTEC courses are only a subset of the total number.
• The subset is students of 3 or 4 professors with 1-3 sections.
• In year 4 no PhysTEC courses were taught in the 1st quarter course. During this year we had a number of PhysTEC faculty away from campus and those who were on campus taught other courses.

Science Methods Course

• We are seeing a gradual increase in the number of students pursuing credentials, as can be seen in the numbers
• The students in this course are biology, chemistry, and physics students pursuing a teaching credential. The number of physics students can be seen in the Mentored PhysTEC future teachers data below.

Mentors and Mentees

	Baseline			Project
	Year 1 2000 - 2001	Year 2 2001 - 2002	Year 3 2002 - 2003	Year 1 2003 - 2004	Year 2 2004 - 2005	Year 3 2005 - 2006	Year 4 2006 - 2007
PhysTEC Mentors (Current and Prior TIRs)	0	0	0	1	1	2	2
PhysTEC Mentees
Mentored PhysTEC Future Teachers				0	1	3	2
Mentored PhysTEC Teachers				0	0	0	0
Mentored Non - PhysTEC Teachers	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Commentary on mentors and mentees data:

• The mentoring numbers are low, because we have done very little mentoring of our students after they greaduate with their credential.

Notes on counting:

• If a student took a PhysTEC course we counted them as a PhysTEC student. In the case where students took both PSC 101 and PSC 102 we only counted them once. In the case where they took both Physics 141 and 133 we only counted them once.
• We counted a student as a High School PhysTEC teacher if they took the reformed PSC 424 course and they received their credential (usually the preceding year) certified to teach physics. Since there is only one course, we couldn’t double count. We counted a student as a pre-High School PhysTEC teacher if they took either of the reformed physical science courses (PSC 101 or PSC 102) and they received their credential.
• We have started a Database with all of the names of students who have taken our courses. At the end of each quarter this list is updated. Once a year we match the names of people who were awarded credentials with the students who have been in our classes.