Physics Education: Setting Directions

Bernard V. Khoury
AAPT Executive Officer

Presented by at the AAPT Section Representatives Meeting
Rochester, New York, July 2001

Summary prepared by Curtis Hieggelke, ISAAPT Section Representative

A.  AAPT Vision:   AAPT will be the leader in physics education.
 
B.  AAPT Mission: To enhance the understanding and appreciation of physics through teaching.
 
C.  AAPT Critical Issues (4) and Possible Actions (ranked by stars)
  1. Increase AAPT's outreach to and impact on physics teachers
    Possible Actions
    * Retool communications with physics teachers
    ***** Assess teacher needs and the effectiveness of current AAPT programs
    * Focus on strategic audiences
    * Develop recognized leadership of AAPT among teachers and within the science education community
    * Examine AAPT national and regional meetings
    * Examine AAPT governance and its effectiveness including Sections, Area Committees, and Executive Board
  2. Increase the diversity and numbers of physics teachers and students
    Possible Actions
    ***** Promote "physics for all"
    * Learn what programs work and barriers exist for under represented groups
    * Develop younger and more diverse leaders within the AAPT
    * Increase numbers of undergraduate physics majors
    * Promote outreach to other disciplines
  3. Improve the pedagogical skills and physics knowledge of teachers at all levels
    * Develop sustained and effective support mechanisms for practicing teachers
    * Improve access to existing physics teaching resources
    ***** Promote understanding of physics content
    * Integrate physics, project-oriented teaching, and research
    * Assist "cross-over" or under prepared teachers at middle school and high school levels
    ***** Assist teachers in meeting national and state science standards
  4. Increase our understanding of physics learning and of ways to improve teaching effectiveness
    Possible Actions
    * Promote support for Physics Education Research
    ***** Assess publication needs for PER specialists and dissemination of PER outcomes to practicing teachers
    * Determine optimal venues for PERC (Physics Education Research Conference)
    * Assist coordination of PER with discipline specific educational research in other science disciplines