I. IntroductionII. Motivation and UsesIII. MethodologyIV. Initial Participation in Alternate Teacher Certification ProgramA. Personal BackgroundB. Initial Preconceptions of Good TeachingC. Similarity to Other ParticipantsV. Alternate Teacher Certification ProgramVI. Significant Changes in Conceptions of Good TeachingA. Different Kinds of KnowledgeB. Student Verbalizations and ExplanationsC. Laboratory ActivitiesVII. Program Elements Fostering Conceptual ChangeA. Student-Like ExperiencesB. ReflectionsVIII. ConclusionI. Goal/subject of instructionA. Subject of ScienceB. Encouragement of ThinkingII. Student ThinkingA. Progression of KnowledgeB. Construction of KnowledgeIII. Student Engagement and ActivitiesA. Engagement of Student AttentionB. Different Types of KnowledgeC. Student Verbalization & ExplanationsIV. Elements of LearningA. Process of Science / LearningB. Important Elements to LearningV. Examples and LabsA. Realistic ExamplesB. Lab ActivitiesVI. Technology of TeachingA. Introduction of TechnologyB. Process of Science / ContentVII. Good Processes and Practices1Masters Paper – Physics 690 – March 12, 2005 – Chris OlszewskiConceptual Change of Good Teaching via Alternate Teacher Certification Program:A Personal Case StudyABSTRACTThe author describes changes to his concepts of good teaching as a result of his participation in an alternate teacher certification program for high school physics teachers at SUNY-Buffalo State College. The author’s perspective is that of a career-changing professional, but is unusual in that he already has his doctorate in physics. Many changes to his conceptions of good learningand good instruction are presented: key elements are an appreciation for the value of different kinds of physical knowledge that can be made available to students (e.g., kinesthetic), the beneficial effects of student discourse; and the uses of open-ended and unstructured laboratory activities. These and other changes arise from the student-like experiences and related reflectionson learning and teaching during the program’s summer academy courses.2I. IntroductionOne view of teaching is that of changing the conceptions or thinking of the students (Hewson, P.W. & Hewson, M.G. A’B, 1988; Yip, D.Y., 2001; Koballo, T. Jr., Graber, W., et al., 2000; Trigwell, K, 1996). Similarly, the development of the thinking of beginning teachers may also be described as changing their conceptions of what constitutes good teaching (Hewson & Hewson, 1988; Yip, 2001; Trigwell, 1996; Lingbiao, G. & Watkins, D., 2001; Koballa, T.R., Glynn, S.M, et al., 2005). As a participant in SUNY-Buffalo State College’s alternate teacher certification program for high school physics teachers (MacIsaac, D., Zawicki, J., et al., 2004), my conceptions of good physics teaching have undergone changes more revolutionary than evolutionary. My perspective on physics teaching is unusual for a beginning high school physics teacher in that I already hold a doctorate in physics and have had a twenty-year career in telecommunications research and engineering. This paper is presented as a personal case study on teacher conceptual change of good physics learning and teaching and the program elements that brought about these changes. Case studies constitute a valid component of teaching research which illustrate the development, thinking, and environment of actual people (Lingbiao & Watkins, 2001; Koballa, Glynn, et al., 2005, Yip, 2001). That an author presents himself as a casestudy is unusual, but on the other hand, so is my perspective. This paper is intended as a contribution to education research on alternate teacher certification programs.II. Motivation and UsesThe information in this paper could be useful to three groups of people:- Those who will be making use of alternate teacher certification programs. There is a large projected shortage of science and mathematics teachers, and one place that3these teachers could be drawn from is from the ranks of industrial researchers and engineers working for shrinking companies (Abd-El-Khalick, F., 2003; Wenning, C.J., 2005). This information could help prepare them for possible changes to their conceptions of good teaching.- Those who develop and coordinate alternate teacher certification programs. This paper presents a case-study perspective describing which elements of such a program was effective in promoting conceptual change.- Those who study alternate teacher preparation programs. This information could beused to help refine future investigations.III. MethodologyThis paper presents and analyzes conceptual changes, and so reports both previous and present conceptions of good teaching. Information regarding changes to my conceptions of good physics teaching was specifically recorded in class notes and class assignments during the summer academy courses of the alternate certification program. Some information also comes from my descriptions of observations I made of actual physics teachers and students. Although this case study is necessarily somewhat subjective, I try to use my training as a scientist to recordobservations carefully. Some descriptions of my prior conceptions arose in contrast to my currentunderstanding of good science teaching.IV. Initial Participation in Alternate Teacher Certification ProgramTo be able to evaluate changes in my conceptions of good teaching, it is necessary to knowmy conceptions before I participated in the alternate teacher certification program. These pre-conceptions are in part formed by my educational and professional backgrounds, so these4backgrounds are described here. In addition, comparisons are drawn between me and other participants in the program so that the wider applicability of my comments may be judged.A. Personal BackgroundMy background is somewhat rare for teaching at the high-school level, although not unique. I received my doctorate in physics about 20 years ago at the University of Illinois, and thereafter took a systems engineering/applied research position at Bell Labs in New Jersey. I continued my career in this field for about twenty years, until the small start-up company where Iworked failed. At that point, for a variety of personal and professional reasons I decided to go into teaching at the secondary level.I had no intention of teaching when I first began my professional career, however several formal and informal teaching opportunities I made use of convinced me that I would find teaching
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