Physics Department Initiatives in Physics Teacher Preparation

-- Required Physics-By-Inquiry courses for all pre-service physics education majors

-- Bi-Annual Share-a-thons with pre- and in-service local science educators

-- Separate courses for pre-service elementary and secondary ed. majors in hands-on methods and PER-based theory

-- Dedicated departmental education advisor

-- We require all Physics Education students to experience a Lab Assistantship.  One innovation of our Department has been to have a single faculty member teach two lab sections simultaneously with the help of Lab Assistants.  The faculty member trains the Lab Assistants and closely monitors their work in the lab.  The Lab Assistants teach the introductory material at least once per week, help students perform the lab, grade the labs, and assist the faculty member in setting up and putting away equipment.  These Assistants get the experience of being responsible for a classroom of students under the close tutelage of the faculty.

-- Dr. Pyper established a Science Education Research Group.  This group, consisting mostly of Physics Education majors, is carrying out significant research.  The research has been reported at the national AAPT and APS NW Section meetings the past two years.

Institution URL

http://www.byui.edu/Physics/