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About PhysTEC

The U.S. faces a critical shortage of qualified physics and physical science teachers. Two-thirds of new physics teachers lack a physics degree, and over 90% of middle school physical science students are taught by teachers without a physical science major or certification. In order to address the crisis in physics and physical science education, the American Physical Society (APS) and the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) lead the PhysTEC project, with support from the American Institute of Physics (AIP).

The mission of PhysTEC is to improve and promote the education of future physics and physical science teachers. Specifically, the project aims to

• Demonstrate successful models for
• Increasing the number of highly qualified high school physics teachers
• Improving the quality of K-8 physical science teacher education
• Spread best-practice ideas throughout the physics teacher preparation community
• Transform physics departments to engage in preparing physics teachers

The PhysTEC project completed its eighth year at the end of July 2009. Our funded institutions have achieved a number of significant successes, including:

• Doubling, or more, their production of high school physics teachers;
• Using master teachers to develop bridges between their physics departments, education schools, and local K-12 school districts;
• Transforming content and pedagogy courses for future physics and physical science teachers to promote learning through interactive engagement;
• Securing continuing allocation of substantial departmental and institutional resources for teacher preparation programs;
• Measuring project outcomes and disseminating results through publications, presentations, and workshops.

The project has two main efforts: the PhysTEC Funded Institutions and the national Physics Teacher Education Coalition (PTEC). PhysTEC Funded Institutions are selected colleges and universities that are developing their physics teacher preparation programs into national models with substantial project support. Eight institutions have completed their project funding period, and are now sustaining project activities through internal funding and other sources. Four sites are currently funded, and are developing long-term institutional support for their programs. Five newly selected institutions will begin funding in Fall 2010.

PTEC is a national network of over 180 institutions committed to developing and promoting excellence in physics and physical science teacher preparation. PTEC organizes an annual national conference, as well as smaller regional and topical workshops. In addition, PTEC has teamed up with ComPADRE, the NSF-funded digital library, to produce the PTEC website, which houses a collection of electronic resources in teacher preparation. Please see www.ptec.org for more information and to learn how your institution can join this growing movement.

PhysTEC recognizes areas of especially high need for physics and physical science teachers. These include nationwide shortages of women and minority teachers, as well as severe shortages of teachers in certain geographic areas. The project hopes to address these needs through targeted outreach, financial support, and program development.

PhysTEC is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), and individual and corporate contributions to the American Physical Society (APS). For more information on the crisis in physics education and the PhysTEC efforts, please see the presentation Physics Teacher Preparation: Problems, Perspectives, and Solutions