Continuing Technology Education (CTE 220) is an inquiry and research-based teaching/learning course that enhances teachers’ current efforts to render introductory science courses more effective and exciting at the secondary level. This program uses the conclusions of science education research along with flexible computer tools to promote activity-based models of teaching and learning. Existing written materials, apparatuses, instructional techniques, and computer software/hardware are refined to improve learning outcomes. The teachers will be introduced to the use of Tools for Scientific Thinking, active-learning, and sample demonstrations of other research-based hands-on-teaching packages.

Rationale for CTE Workshop

Some benefits of this course include: enhancing district ability to meet state and national standards, understanding how to use research-based hands-on strategies to teach science (with particular application to physics), understanding the use of technology to improve learning, understanding how to adopt a set of instructional materials to supplement the lectures and textbook in a physics course, and understanding appropriate use of materials to provide the teacher the strategies and structure that promotes the active mental engagement of students in the process of learning physics. Teachers will learn not only how to improve teaching but how to use questions to help students find their own answers. Qualitative questions are included to emphasize concepts.

The basic outline is

Review of research-based Teaching of Physics

Comparison of the traditional Physics curriculum with inquiry based Physics Curricula

Research-based findings concerning alternative conceptions
Difficulties and problems in various physics topics.

How to plan a effective physics lessons for maximum impact

Student-discovery focus Syllabus,
curriculum materials aligned with standard
Teaching strategies for pupils of different abilities and learning styles.

Remedial and enrichment programmes;

Various approaches that facilitate the teaching, learning of physics:
Discover-inquiry learning, learning cycle,
use of worksheets and discussions, individualised instruction,
Computer-assisted learning and classroom demonstrations.

Infusion of IT, Thinking skills and National and state Education standards into the teaching of physics.
Resource management and evaluation.

The role of practical work and its importance as an integral aspect of physics education.
Use of feedback and questions on teaching efforts.

Purpose/Learning objectives include

High-quality professional development to change teaching practices and to enhance student learning.
Heightened sense of competency,
Fostering of higher levels of thinking,
Improved critical, analytical and problem solving and qualitative literacy skills.
Opportunity to reinforce instruction, enhancement of measurable positive changes in attitude towards teaching/learning for the participants,
Enhancement of district ability to meet state and national standards.
Teachers knowledge of the strategies and structure that promote the active mental engagement of students,
Development of skills for constructing set questions to guide students through the reasoning necessary to construct concepts and to apply them in real-world situations;
practice in interpreting various representations (e.g., formulas, graphs, diagrams. verbal descriptions) and Independence in problem solving
Benefits to students in the classroom of a teacher that has taken this course include:

Improved ability of student to study below-level material without embarrassment,
Increased motivation to learn in order to maintain new role, increase in the ability to manage own learning and study strategies and improvement of attitude toward subject area.
Improved critical, analytical and problem solving and qualitative literacy skills

Some benefits to the teachers and school district administrators include:

Enhancement of district ability to meet state and national standards.
Understand how to use research-based hands-on strategies to teach science with particular application to physics
Understand the use of technology to improve learning
Understand how to adopt a set of instructional materials to supplement the lectures and textbook of a standard introductory physics course
Understand appropriate use of materials to provide the teacher the strategies and structure that promotes the active mental engagement of students in the process of learning physics
How develop important physical concepts and scientific reasoning skills rather than emphasis on solving of the standard quantitative problems found in traditional textbooks
Develop skills of constructing set questions to guide students through the reasoning necessary to construct concepts and to apply them in real-world situations; practice in interpreting various representations (e.g., formulas, graphs, diagrams. verbal descriptions) and in translating back and forth between them are provided as link to discovering the concept
The teachers will learn not how to lecture but how to use and ask questions to help students find their own answers; qualitative questions are included to emphasize the concepts and reasoning skills.

Program or course duration.

12 hours ( 6 hours per session for two days, usually Friday and Saturday)
Number of hours per session: 6

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