OverviewOverview

Challenges to Challenges to –Higher EducationHigher Education–Physics DepartmentPhysics Department

A View of Physics EducationA View of Physics EducationResearch & DevelopmentResearch & Development

The FutureThe Future

Pressures on Higher EducationPressures on Higher Education

Cost effectivenessCost effectiveness ImmediateImmediate relevance to student careers relevance to student careers Entrepreneurial “Scholarship”Entrepreneurial “Scholarship” AccountabilityAccountability

– To the publicTo the public– To the studentsTo the students– To scholarshipTo scholarship

Decreasing value of formal educationDecreasing value of formal education

Which of these entities are familiar?Which of these entities are familiar?

University of PhoenixUniversity of Phoenix Midwest Higher Education CommissionMidwest Higher Education Commission Western Governors’ UniversityWestern Governors’ University K-State On-LineK-State On-Line Open UniversityOpen University

Teaching Challenges to facultyTeaching Challenges to faculty

What content to teachWhat content to teach Captive audience is escapingCaptive audience is escaping

– Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) Distance educationDistance education

– Physics teaching is cheaper when made in Sri LankaPhysics teaching is cheaper when made in Sri Lanka For-profit universitiesFor-profit universities

– Will Wal-Mart sell physics?Will Wal-Mart sell physics? Diversity in physics students is still lackingDiversity in physics students is still lacking Physics students in general are still lackingPhysics students in general are still lacking

Which of these are familiar?Which of these are familiar?

Bayh-Dole Act (1980)Bayh-Dole Act (1980) Scholarship ReconsideredScholarship Reconsidered The Entrepreneurial UniversityThe Entrepreneurial University

Research Challenges Research Challenges

Get Patents not GrantsGet Patents not Grants Contract research with private companiesContract research with private companies Interdisciplinary nature of cutting edge Interdisciplinary nature of cutting edge

researchresearch Lack of domestic graduate studentsLack of domestic graduate students Lack of diversity among students/facultyLack of diversity among students/faculty

Research Challenges Research Challenges

“…“…give the familiar and honorable term give the familiar and honorable term ‘scholarship’ a broader meaning…” ‘scholarship’ a broader meaning…”– DiscoveryDiscovery– IntegrationIntegration– ApplicationApplication– TeachingTeaching

– Ernest BoyerErnest Boyer

Major Changes Have HappenedMajor Changes Have Happened

1946-501946-50 GI -BillGI -Bill

– Changed the nature of the student bodyChanged the nature of the student body Research FundingResearch Funding

– Federal to universities in large amountsFederal to universities in large amounts

The Modern University The Modern University is younger than is younger than Modern Physics.Modern Physics.

Scholarship of Teaching-LearningScholarship of Teaching-Learning

Frame questions about teaching-learningFrame questions about teaching-learning Design systematic inquiry that address these Design systematic inquiry that address these

questionsquestions Use the results to develop new teaching-Use the results to develop new teaching-

learning techniqueslearning techniques Apply the same type of effort to issues of Apply the same type of effort to issues of

teaching & learning as one does to other teaching & learning as one does to other scholarly activities.scholarly activities.

Physics Education Physics Education Research & Development Research & Development

Scholarship of physics teaching & learningScholarship of physics teaching & learning Research on how student learn & don’t Research on how student learn & don’t

learnlearn Build models of student learningBuild models of student learning Use psychological research to create Use psychological research to create

models of instructionmodels of instruction

Focus on Physics & StudentsFocus on Physics & Students

Thorough understanding of physicsThorough understanding of physics Apply methods of social sciencesApply methods of social sciences

– But reinvent many wheels including square onesBut reinvent many wheels including square ones Our students are Our students are notnot young versions of us young versions of us Outcome improves the methodology of teaching Outcome improves the methodology of teaching

and teaching evaluation*and teaching evaluation* Physics education research is greatly enhanced Physics education research is greatly enhanced

by its presence in the physics department*by its presence in the physics department**APS Board May, 1999

Building Conceptual UnderstandingBuilding Conceptual Understanding Determine students existing knowledgeDetermine students existing knowledge Use models of instruction or intellectual Use models of instruction or intellectual

developmentdevelopment– Challenge what needs to be changedChallenge what needs to be changed– Build on the positive componentsBuild on the positive components– Provide applicationsProvide applications– Social and collaborative component to learningSocial and collaborative component to learning– Different learning optionsDifferent learning options

Test - revise - test -reviseTest - revise - test -revise– Until the grant money runs outUntil the grant money runs out

How Technology HelpsHow Technology Helps

Real world explorations & applications– Measurements

Physics of Sports; Bicycle Project Visualizations of complex concepts

– Can teach concepts to less sophisticated students Visual Quantum Mechanics

Multiple Learning paths– Large databases

Physics InfoMall

What’s ChangingWhat’s Changing Models of Student LearningModels of Student Learning

– Structure of Physics as a disciplineStructure of Physics as a discipline– How students make sense of physicsHow students make sense of physics

TechnologyTechnology– Distance EducationDistance Education– Dealing with information overloadDealing with information overload

Neural networks, Genetic algorithms, VisualizationNeural networks, Genetic algorithms, Visualization Focus on what’s rightFocus on what’s right

– Student “misconceptions” - something to build onStudent “misconceptions” - something to build on Appeal to a broad range of studentsAppeal to a broad range of students

Teacher EducationTeacher Education

“… the physics community [must] take an active role in improving the pre-service training of K-12 physics/science teachers …”

“Strengthening the science education of future teachers addresses the pressing national need”

– AIP, APS, AAPT, AAS, ASA (September, 1999)

The difficulty with physics The difficulty with physics education is that the problems education is that the problems nevernever stay solved. stay solved.

Melba Phillips

FacultyTenured T. Track Future

Kansas State 1 0 UncertainMaryland 1.51 0 StableNorth Carolina 2 0 Expanding (2001)Washington 1 2 StableNebraska 1 0 FadingCarnegie-Mellon 2 0 UncertainMinnesota 1 0 ExpandingMaine 0 0 RestartingArizona State 1 0 UncertainMontana State 1 2 StableOhio State 1 0 ExpandingSDSU/UCSD 1 0 StableIowa State 0 1 NewTexas Tech 0 1 NewArizona 0 1 NewCCNY 1 0 NewSouthern Illinois 0 0 Starting 2000

Job Openings - 2000Job Openings - 2000Posted at AIP or Posted at AIP or Physics TodayPhysics Today with Physics with Physics Education Research listed explicitlyEducation Research listed explicitly

6 Ph. D. Granting6 Ph. D. Granting– 3 only physics education research need apply3 only physics education research need apply– 2 one of several specialties listed2 one of several specialties listed– 1 joint with College of Education 1 joint with College of Education

15 Four-year Colleges15 Four-year Colleges 1 Community College1 Community College 1 High School1 High School

– Source: Jeff Saul, NC State

KSU Physics Education GroupKSU Physics Education Group 1 Professor 1 Administrative Assistant 2 Post docs 3 Physics Ph.D. Students 2 Science Education Ph.D. Students 3 Undergraduates 1 Research Assistant 3 Programmers 1 Visiting Ph.D. Student Director of Undergraduate Labs Educational Technologist

Where do they go?Where do they go?

Post docs & PhDs Northern Iowa (2) Clarion Air Force Academy American University Norfolk State Malaysia Institute Tech. State of Washington Georgetown Catholic Priest

MS High school teachers (4) College Lab Managers (2) Grad Student with JRM Lear Jet At Home Unknown

Group DemographicsGroup Demographics

Present Grad students (5) 3 female 4 domestic Average time not in school after BS: 4 years

Present & Former Post docs (6) 1 female 2 domestic Average time from start of post-doc to start

of real job: 1.9 years

Past Grad Students (14) 5 female 1 African-American 1 Hispanic 10 domestic Average time not in school after BS: 5 years

InteractionsInteractions Department facultyDepartment faculty

– Collaborate on teaching & educational researchCollaborate on teaching & educational research– Short term or longShort term or long

UniversityUniversity– Interdisciplinary by its natureInterdisciplinary by its nature– Art, Education, Provost, Biology, Chemistry, GeologyArt, Education, Provost, Biology, Chemistry, Geology

StateState– KU, 4 Community Colleges, Several school districtsKU, 4 Community Colleges, Several school districts

BeyondBeyond– 4 US Universities; 1 US Community College4 US Universities; 1 US Community College– 6 European Universities6 European Universities

Challenges for the groupChallenges for the group Demographic firecracker: 58Demographic firecracker: 58 Faculty burn outFaculty burn out Lack of faculty “life insurance” Lack of faculty “life insurance” Focus of KSU College of EducationFocus of KSU College of Education Funding in three year cyclesFunding in three year cycles

– No renewals No renewals – Always a new projectAlways a new project

Increasing competition for Grant $$Increasing competition for Grant $$– Taught our students and post docs too wellTaught our students and post docs too well

Job Market too goodJob Market too good– Unable to keep post docsUnable to keep post docs

FutureFuture MinimumMinimum

– Hire Assistant Professor by Fall, 2001Hire Assistant Professor by Fall, 2001 SensibleSensible

– Associate/Assistant Professor by 2001Associate/Assistant Professor by 2001– Assistant /Associate Professor by 2003Assistant /Associate Professor by 2003

Better (Gray’s Plan Slightly Modified)Better (Gray’s Plan Slightly Modified)– Associate /Assistant Professor by 2001Associate /Assistant Professor by 2001– Assistant /Associate Professor by 2003Assistant /Associate Professor by 2003– Replace DZ upon his retirementReplace DZ upon his retirement

What will we gainWhat will we gainThe scholarship of teaching draws The scholarship of teaching draws synthetically from the other synthetically from the other scholarships. ... It is a special case of scholarships. ... It is a special case of the scholarship of application and the scholarship of application and engagement, and frequently entails engagement, and frequently entails the discovery of new findings and the discovery of new findings and principles.principles.

–Lee Shulman, President, The Carnegie FoundationLee Shulman, President, The Carnegie Foundation