Goals and Objectives

The following are the goals and objectives articulated in the proposal

GOAL 1. Create a cadre of teacher-leaders who will become advocates for excellence in physics content and research-based pedagogy.

  • Objective 1.1: Teachers will demonstrate leadership skills.
  • Objective 1.2: Teachers will assume leadership roles in their buildings, districts and regions.
  • Objective 1.3: Teachers will establish a long-term action plan for leadership.

GOAL 2: Strengthen high school freshman science teachers’ and students’ understanding of physics.

  • Objective 2.1: Teachers will increase their knowledge of physics concepts.
  • Objective 2.2: Students of partner teachers will increase their knowledge of physics concepts.

GOAL 3: Enhance teachers’ knowledge and ability to utilize reform-based pedagogies in teaching freshman physics

  • Objective 3.1: Teachers will increase their confidence in teaching freshman physics.
  • Objective 3.2: Teachers will increase their use of pedagogical skills for teaching freshman physics.

GOAL 4: Promote institutional change among Core partner institutions.

  • Objective 4.1. MU faculty will design three online courses, two in physics and one in leadership in science education; they will integrate inquiry-based labs into college and university physics courses.
  • Objective 4.2: School district partners will implement/adopt freshman physics as part of their regularhigh school curriculum.
  • Objective 4.3: School district partners will provide support for teachers to undertake leadership work.
  • Objective 4.4: Non-certified teachers will attain physics certification through passing the Praxis; or obtain a graduate certificate, or make progress toward a Master’s degree as a result of Academy course work.

GOAL 5. Students will increase their science coursework.

  • Objective 5.1: Students will report intent to take higher-level science courses after high school.
  • Objective 5.2: Students of Year 1 Freshman Physics teachers will take more than the required number of science courses in high school.