PhysTEC Institution: A four-year institution of higher education that has been identified and selected to receive financial support for implementing the PhysTEC program components.
PhysTEC Secondary Graduate*: Any student who has graduated from a PhysTEC Institution and
a) has a major or minor in physics, OR (b) has completed coursework equivalent to a major or minor in physics
AND
(a) has certification to teach high-school physics, OR (b) has completed a teacher education program.
PhysTEC Elementary Graduate*: Any elementary education major who graduates from a PhysTEC institution having taken one or more reformed physics or physical science courses for elementary teachers.
PhysTEC Secondary Teacher*: Any PhysTEC secondary graduate who is employed as a secondary teacher.
PhysTEC Future Teacher**: A student at a PhysTEC Institution who has committed to completing a program of physics teacher education.
PhysTEC Secondary Student*: Any student in a secondary class being taught by a PhysTEC secondary teacher.
PhysTEC Course: Any physics, physical science, or education course that has been revised or created at a PhysTEC Institution for the PhysTEC program.
PhysTEC Student: Any student who has completed or is enrolled in a PhysTEC course.
Graduates and undergraduates will be aggregated.
PhysTEC Learning Assistant: Any PhysTEC student who facilitates learning in an undergraduate physics course, receives formal pedagogical instruction, and is encouraged to enter a teacher preparation program.
PhysTEC Teacher-in-Residence (TIR): any experienced teacher employed at a PhysTEC Institution to work with the PhysTEC program and as a mentor in the induction component of the PhysTEC program
PhysTEC Mentor: Any PhysTEC TIR who mentors a practicing K-12 teacher or pre-service teacher. (Mentors are counted each year, so after their first year of mentoring, they are recounted if they mentor in the next year.)
PhysTEC Mentees (each of the three categories below should be counted in each year):
PhysTEC Faculty: Any university faculty member in physics or education engaged in any aspect of the PhysTEC program
*Secondary is defined as including high school, middle school, and junior high where appropriate – in other words, all levels at which teachers specialize in a content area. Typical ranges are 6-12 or 7-12.
Elementary is defined as before middle or high school, when teachers do not generally specialize by content area. Typical ranges are K-5 or K-6.
**Due to program variation, each PhysTEC Institution must define what actions a student needs to take to demonstrate they have “committed to completing a program of physics teacher education.”
