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Current Need for Physics Teachers

	New York State has a shortage of physics teachers with the requisite content background and pedagogical knowledge and skills (Office of Teaching, 2000)
	Need is especially acute in inner city and small rural schools (National Research Council, 2001)
	In 1999, 17% of the physics teachers in New York State were over the age of 55

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Future Need for Physics Teachers

	Percent of physics classes in NYS being taught
	by teacher who is not certified to teach physics: 17%.
	Percent of physics classes in NYS being taught
	by teacher who is over age 55 (close to retirement): 28%.
	Percent of physics classes in NYS being
	taught by teacher who is over age 50: 43%.

Future Need for Physics Teachers

	Effective September 1, 2003, the Commissioner of the New York State Education Department will no longer issue temporary licenses.
	As of September 2001, there is a new Core Curriculum and corresponding statewide exam for high school physics in the state of New York.
	Beginning in 2004, certified physics teachers will be required to have a minimum of 30 semester hours of physics.  This will make it difficult for science teachers to get physics as a second certification.
	New High School Graduation requirements will push more students into physics in high school.  Many schools that have a chemistry or earth science teacher teach one section of physics will now need a full-time physics teacher.

Physics Education at Buffalo State College

	Bachelor's of Science Education: Physics
	Master of Science Education: Physics
	Master of Science Education: Alternative-B Certification in Physics
	Physics Teaching Pathways Summer Academy
		Institute for New Physics Teachers (PHY 510, 6 cr, offered every summer)
		Powerful Ideas in Electricity and Magnetism (PHY 622, 6 cr, offered summer 2003)
		Powerful Ideas in Force, Motion, and Energy (PHY 620, 6 cr, offered summer 2004)
		Constructing Physics Understanding (EDU 671 and PHY 594, total 6 cr, offered summer 2003)

Why courses that combine content and pedagogy?

	Research indicates that, of all pedagogical training, training in subject-specific pedagogy is the most helpful(Brown, Smith, & Stein, 1995; Cohen & Hill, 1997).
	Recent research has found serious deficiencies in conventional physics teaching methods as well as considerable improvements from research-based instructional designs (Hake, 1998; Hammer, 1996).
	In the area of physics, it has been found that over half of physics teachers are without an academic major or minor in a physical science (Ingersoll, 1999).

Master of Science Education: Physics This coursework will lead to certification in Physics for teachers currently certified in another science. Available to candidates throughout New York State

	Summer workshop courses: 18 credits
		PHY 510: Process Skills in Physics Teaching (Institute for New Physics Teachers)
		PHY 620: Powerful Ideas in Force, Motion, and Energy
		PHY 622: Powerful Ideas in Electricity and Magnetism
		Each course is a two week intensive (100 hours) workshop that combines content and pedagogical methods.
	Research courses: 6 credits
		PHY 500: Physics Education Research Seminar
		PHY 690: MasterŐs Project
		These courses will be offered through distance learning
	Elective courses: 9 credits
		For student not close to Buffalo State College, these courses may be taken at another institution with prior approval

Alternative Certification Program

	Summer 1
		Exceptional Education course
		40 hours of initial field experience in physics classes
		Constructing Powerful Ideas course (PHY 620 or PHY 622)
		Process Skills in Physics Teaching (PHY 510)
		Adolescent Psychology
	School Year 1
		Induction seminar
		Seminar in Physics Education Research (PHY 500)
		Additional coursework (LOTE, other science courses, physics)
	Summer 2
		Literacy courses
		Constructing Powerful Ideas course (PHY 620 or PHY 622)
	School year 2
		Induction seminar
		Additional coursework (LOTE, other science courses, physics)
		MasterŐs Project (PHY 690)

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