UA APEX Research Program
The Physics Teaching Research Program’s (PTR) goal is to investigate the effectiveness of professional development consistent with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) on pre- and in-service physics teachers and their students. As part of this goal, PTR establishes, fosters, and sustains a Community of researchers focusing on physics education. Each group within the Community has a significant role creating a strong foundation of research and practice, and contributing new knowledge to be disseminated to teacher’s classrooms and nationwide.
Project Research Component Description
Physics Teaching Research Program (PTR) goals are to establish, foster, enhance, and sustain project outcomes in teaching and learning through development of a research priority using a community of researchers focusing on physics education. Formal research verifies effective strategies and extends the knowledge base. Research on physics teaching and classroom action (practitioner) research are essential elements of PTR. The PTR research team consists of educational researchers, along with STEM discipline faculty, with expertise and extensive experience in using quantitative and qualitative methodologies in investigating STEM secondary school teachers and students. The research program is organized around understanding immediate and long term impacts of different components of PTI.
The central research question defining the PTR research agenda is:
What are the impacts on short- and long-term outcomes of teacher professional development that focuses on the implementation of reform in secondary school physics courses?
The focus of PTR research will be on the professional development effects of PTI (impact) on physics teacher knowledge and abilities, teachers Content Knowledge (CK) and their Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). Among the several elements of PTI, action research allows teachers to deeply understand best practices learned in PTI and reported in the research literature. It provides a means which enables teachers to expand their expertise through individualized professional development in their own classrooms. Teachers test new strategies in their own classrooms, collecting and analyzing data to determine effectiveness of the reforms in the individual classroom setting, and sharing results among a community of researchers. The primary members of such a supportive research Community are: (1) physics education researchers, (2) physics faculty/researchers, (3) expert in-service secondary physics teachers, serving as mentors who practice and model action research, (4) in-service secondary school teachers of physics who are developing skills in using action research as professional development, and (5) pre-service teachers in a physics education program who work with in-service teachers in professional development settings and on action research.
Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
The PTR addresses two process goals. Each goal is divided into related Objectives and Strategies.
Goal 1. Evaluate the impact of implementation of the APEX model on teachers in physics classrooms.
Goal 2. Evaluate the impact of implementation of the APEX model on students in physics classrooms.
Research Outcomes
Project Research Component Description
Physics Teaching Research Program (PTR) goals are to establish, foster, enhance, and sustain project outcomes in teaching and learning through development of a research priority using a community of researchers focusing on physics education. Formal research verifies effective strategies and extends the knowledge base. Research on physics teaching and classroom action (practitioner) research are essential elements of PTR. The PTR research team consists of educational researchers, along with STEM discipline faculty, with expertise and extensive experience in using quantitative and qualitative methodologies in investigating STEM secondary school teachers and students. The research program is organized around understanding immediate and long term impacts of different components of PTI.
The central research question defining the PTR research agenda is:
What are the impacts on short- and long-term outcomes of teacher professional development that focuses on the implementation of reform in secondary school physics courses?
The focus of PTR research will be on the professional development effects of PTI (impact) on physics teacher knowledge and abilities, teachers Content Knowledge (CK) and their Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). Among the several elements of PTI, action research allows teachers to deeply understand best practices learned in PTI and reported in the research literature. It provides a means which enables teachers to expand their expertise through individualized professional development in their own classrooms. Teachers test new strategies in their own classrooms, collecting and analyzing data to determine effectiveness of the reforms in the individual classroom setting, and sharing results among a community of researchers. The primary members of such a supportive research Community are: (1) physics education researchers, (2) physics faculty/researchers, (3) expert in-service secondary physics teachers, serving as mentors who practice and model action research, (4) in-service secondary school teachers of physics who are developing skills in using action research as professional development, and (5) pre-service teachers in a physics education program who work with in-service teachers in professional development settings and on action research.
Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
The PTR addresses two process goals. Each goal is divided into related Objectives and Strategies.
Goal 1. Evaluate the impact of implementation of the APEX model on teachers in physics classrooms.
- Objective 1. Implement a baseline and PTI impact study to identify and document pedagogical models and methods used by in-service teachers prior to participating in APEX.
- Objective 2. Evaluate the impact of the APEX model, new resources, and intervention strategies on the knowledge and ability of in-service physics teachers.
Goal 2. Evaluate the impact of implementation of the APEX model on students in physics classrooms.
- Objective 1. Evaluate the impact of APEX in-service teachers on students’ classroom learning engagement, classroom climate, and educational STEM career goals.
Research Outcomes
- Establish guidelines for investigating and documenting research-based practice for innovative pre- and in-service physics teacher preparation and professional development.
- Identify the effective elements of the APEX model, new resources, and intervention strategies for pre- and in-service professional development of physics teachers.
- Determine the effects of continuous application of action research in classrooms on the PCK of in-service physics teachers.
- Identify and disseminate lessons learned and validated best practices resulting from PTR inquiry into the application of the APEX model in a statewide program.
