The Education Corner

Now Accepting Applications for PAIR
Application Deadline: September 15, 2012
Physics and Instructional Resources (PAIR) is a pilot project in physics teacher professional development designed to support physics teachers in need of content and/or material resources. This effort, funded by an APS member donation, will support up to 20 teacher + professional physicist teams to develop and implement new content-rich lessons.

A grant of up to $1,200 will be provided to each team to purchase classroom materials required for the lessons. Travel support will also be provided to the team to share their project at a regional professional meeting.
Physics and Instructional Resources (PAIR)

Gender Equity Conversations Report Published
Building on the success of the 2007 workshop, “Gender Equity: Strengthening the Physics Enterprise in Universities and National Laboratories,” the Committee on the Status of Women in Physics (CSWP) began offering a new type of site visit to university physics departments and national laboratories: Conversations on Gender Equity.  

With support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), CSWP conducts the Conversations on Gender Equity site visits to foster dialogue between visiting discussion leaders and the members of departments or laboratories they visit. Following the inaugural visit series, a final report was compiled showcasing the best practices for this new program. This report is freely online at: 
 Gender Equity Conversations

New Versions of Physics InSight Available
APS has recently revamped Physics InSight–a free, downloadable Powerpoint slideshow that is designed to be shown in venues frequented by potential physics majors, such as on hallways displays in university science buildings.

One of InSight’s main goals is to expose students to a range of exciting contemporary physics research areas. InSight also profiles so-called “hidden physicists,” who have jobs outside of academia and who come from diverse physics degree paths—such as physics bachelors with their own startup companies, or physics masters who are now medical physicists.

Physics InSight also provides up-to-date statistical and employment information on various physics career paths, as well as information about opportunities for undergraduates–including special career-related undergraduate events at meetings, and APS Minority Scholarships.

New slideshows are generated bi-monthly, so the content is always fresh and up-to-date. Physics InSight is also fully editable, so departments can add their own slides promoting local programs.
  Download Insight Slide Show

Nuggets from the Education Research that You Can Use in Class Tomorrow
We’re getting the physics education research out of those stuffy journals and into your hands (or, rather, ears) with this little audio podcast. Co-hosted by veteran high school physics teacher Michael Fuchs and physicist and education researcher Stephanie Chasteen, each episode investigates a piece of the research literature and how it can relate to your classroom. Relevant for K12 and college instruction.

You can listen to the Physics Education Research User’s Guide at the PER website or you can subscribe through iTunes too.
   PER User's Guide Podcasts
This podcast is supported by a grant from the American Association of Physics Teachers (Physics Education Research Topical Group) and supported by the University of Colorado’s Science Education Initiative, the Physics Education Research Group at the University of Colorado and sciencegeekgirl enterprises.

Marc Sher discusses new initiative for introductory textbooks
In Sean Carroll’s Cosmic Variance blog, APS member Marc Sher explained a new initiative that hopes to provide a lower-cost alternative for introductory textbooks.
   "Marc Sher on the Nonprofit Textbook Movement"

APS Speakers Program
The APS Speakers Lists contain names, contact information, and talk titles of physicists who are willing to give talks on a variety of subjects. Advanced searches allow one to search specifically for women and minority physicists and Physics Education researchers.  
  Search APS Speakers List