Daniel Lawrence MacIsaac (11/10/2008)

SUNY- Buffalo State College Department of Physics, 222SCIE Bldg, 1300 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo NY 14222

(716) 878-3802 (W); macisadl@buffalostate.edu; http://physicsed.buffalostate.edu/danowner/

 

Education:

Ph.D.  (1994; Education: Curriculum and Instruction: Purdue University) Curricular Reformation in Computer-Based Undergraduate Physics Laboratories via Action Research.

M.S.  (1994; Physics; Purdue University) -- Non-thesis option.

M.A.  (1991; Science Education; University of British Columbia) Design and Implementation of MBL in HS Chemistry.

B.Ed.  (1986; Secondary Mathematics and Science Teaching; Mount Allison University).

B.Sc.  (1984; Physics; Mount Allison University).

 

Professional Academic Experience:

Sep 2005-present: Associate Professor of Physics, Department of Physics, SUNY- Buffalo State College, Buffalo NY 14222.  Tenure track faculty teaching introductory physics, and graduate physics for physics and physical science teachers.  I supervise 45 Master of Science in Education – Physics teaching (MSEd-Physics) program graduate students, including alt-cert candidates.

Aug 2002- Sep 2005: Assistant Professor of Physics, Department of Physics, SUNY- Buffalo State College, Buffalo NY 14222.

Aug 1996- Aug 02: Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ 86011-6010. Coordinated undergrad and Masters' physical science teachers preparation programs.

Summer 96 Adjunct Faculty, Department of Biological and Physical Science, Indiana University Kokomo.

Jan 95 - Aug 96 Visiting Assistant Professor of Physics, Department of Physics, Purdue University.

Jan 91 - Dec 94 Graduate Teaching Assistant and Aide, Department of Physics, Purdue University. Development and preparation of curricular materials for first year physics instruction at Purdue, instruction, evaluation and tutoring. Supervised labs for approximately 2100+ students/year, including approximately 50 teaching and development personnel.

Sept 88 - Dec 90 Graduate Research & Teaching Assistant, Computers in Education Research Group, University of British Columbia. Design, construction and evaluation of interfacing hardware and software, in-school research.

Nov 88 - June 89 Substitute Teacher, Vancouver School Board, Vancouver, BC. Grades 7-12 Science and Mathematics.

Sept 86 - June 88 Full-time Teacher, Ebb and Flow School, Ebb & Flow Indian Reserve #52, Frontier School Division #48, Manitoba.  Adult Evening HS Equivalency, Astronomy and Microcomputing, Grade 11 & 12 Data Processing, & CS.

 

My research expertise is in physics learning and education, including physics teacher preparation. My interests include instruction via extraordinary levels of student centered discourse-intensive activity, inquiry-based physics learning, use of language in physics learning, use of mental models in physics learning, Modeling Physics, the attitudes and abilities of pre-service physics teachers, the cross-certification of science teachers to physics, the alternative certification of STEM professionals to physics teaching.

 

I am or have been recently active in the AAPT (committee, appointments), NSTA, ASTA (board); member of AETS, NARST, AERA & APS (committee).  Chaired or supervised over seventy-five physics education masters defenses and projects, invited external opponent for two physics education Ph.D. defenses, student advisor for over seventy undergraduate and graduate students in the past six years.  Regular reviewer for three peer-reviewed journals (board), three annual grant competitions, and NSF STEM / SBIR programs.  PHYS-L electronic list owner since 1998.  High School teacher certified in three Canadian provinces. 

 

Selected Relevant Publications (13 peer-reviewed; 14 reviewed conference presentations; 104 presentations; 66 other pubs):

Saeli, S. & MacIsaac, D.L. (2007). Using gravitational analogies to introduce elementary electrical field theory concepts. The Physics Teacher, 45(2), 104-108.

Lui, X. & MacIsaac, D.L. (2005). An investigation of factors affecting the degree of na•ve impetus theory application.
Journal of Science Education & Technology, 14(1), 101-116.

MacIsaac, D.L., Henry, D., Zawicki, J.L. Beery, D. & Falconer, K. (2004). A new model alternative certification program for high school physics teachers: New pathways to physics teacher certification at SUNY-Buffalo State College.  Journal of Physics Teacher Education Online, 2(2) 10-12. <http://PhysicsEd.BuffaloState.Edu/pubs/JPTEO/>

MacIsaac, D.L. & Falconer, K.A. (2002).  Reform your teaching via the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP).
The Physics Teacher,  40 (8), 479. <http://PhysicsEd.BuffaloState.edu/pubs/TPT/TPTNov02RTOP/>.

Bodner, G., MacIsaac, D. & White, S. (1999).  Action research: Overcoming the sports mentality approach to assessment / evaluation. University Chemistry Education, 3(1), 31-36. <http://PhysicsEd.BuffaloState.edu/pubs/UCE_Sep99_3(1)p31_AR.pdf>

MacIsaac, D.L., & Falconer, K.A. (2001). Using the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) as a catalyst for self-reflective change in secondary science teaching. AERA Division K 2001. <http://SearchERIC.org/>; RTOP.

Zawicki, J., MacIsaac, D.L., Henry, D., McMillen, S. & Wilson, D.C. (2004). NSF-0434103: NSF-Noyce Western New York Partnership for New Science and Mathematics Teachers.  Unpublished proposal to the National Science Foundation Noyce Scholarship program awarded $462k over four years. Available from the authors.

MacIsaac, D.L., Henry, D., Plumb, M.F., & Josef, C.K. (2003). DUE-0302097: The physics teaching pathways coalition: Alternative pathways to physics and general science teaching certification.  Unpublished proposal to the National Science Foundation Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Teacher Preparation (STEMTP) program awarded $503k over four years. Available from the authors.