New One-Semester Physical Science Curriculum

  

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN TEACHING A GENERAL EDUCATION PHYSICAL SCIENCE COURSE THAT

  • utilizes interactive pedagogy; 
  • can be taught in an environment where hands-on experiences are impractical, either because of large enrollments or classroom constraints; and
  • focuses on conceptual understanding of physical science, the nature of science and learning about learning?

 

Call for Field-Test Collaborators

 
Our development team1 has received funding from the NSF CCLI Program2 to develop a one-semester guided inquiry-based physical science curriculum for general education audiences that could be taught in either large enrollment settings (60+ students) or in small enrollment settings where hands-on laboratory experiences are impractical. The work will build on two other successful curricula, Physics and Everyday Thinking (PET) and Physical Science and Everyday Thinking (PSET).3 

Field test collaborators will be selected based on the following criteria: 

  • currently teaching a one-semester general-education physical science class; 
  • willingness to attend a 3-day workshop in San Diego during Summer 2009;  
  • commitment to teach the new curriculum at least once (preferably twice) during the 2009-2010 academic year;
  • willingness to provide substantial feedback and to carry out project evaluation responsibilities; and
  • familiarity with/and access to technology, like real-time, computer-based data acquisition, class response systems (clickers) and learning management systems (like Blackboard, WebCT, etc).

Field test collaborators will receive stipends for their participation and travel support to attend the San Diego workshop. 

If you are interested, or have questions, please contact Fred Goldberg at fgoldberg@sciences.sdsu.edu. Further information and an application form is available on the project website at http://cpucips.sdsu.edu/leps/. Deadline for applications has been extended to August 1, 2008. We intend to complete our selection of field testers shortly thereafter.

 

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FORM (Word doc) 

Deadline for applications is August 1, 2008. We intend to complete our selection of field testers shortly thereafter.

 

1Project directors are Fred Goldberg, Steve Robinson, Ed Price, Rebecca Kruse and Danielle Harlow.

2LEPS is supported by NSF grant # 0717791

3PET and PSET are published by It’s About Time, Herff Jones Education Division. Information about PSET, from which LEPS will be adapted, is at http://cpucips.sdsu.edu/web/pset/.