Assessment Plan for Physics Education

Program Mission

The Department of Chemistry, Physics, and Engineering Studies has designed the course work and requirements in the Secondary Physics Program to provide students with both the content and pedagogical knowledge and skills needed to become effective high school science teachers. The Department of Chemistry, Physics, and Engineering Studies seeks to provide classroom education and laboratory training to ensure that our secondary physics majors have a deep and broad knowledge of physics and a broad knowledge of biology and chemistry as well as the applications of these sciences to everyday life.  Students in this program will become trained in diversifying lessons and managing classrooms in order to serve the needs of students of varying abilities and diverse backgrounds, especially those attending urban schools.  The Program Effectiveness Objectives and Student Learning Objectives are aligned specifically with the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards and the National Science Teacher Preparation Standards.  The Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) have also been an influence on the development of the program objectives and outcomes.

 

Program Effectiveness Objectives (PEOs)

The objectives of the Secondary Physics Program are to prepare teachers that meet the criteria outlined in the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards and National Science Teachers Association ‘Science Teacher Preparation Standards’.  Specifically, the objectives are to prepare science teachers that are:

1. Proficient in content knowledge of Physics and allied science disciplines.
2. Cognizant of the roles of education, science and technology in society and the skill to use current and relevant issues to teach science.
3. Prepared to address diverse student learning styles especially in the urban classroom as well as problem solve and manage effectively high school classroom.
4. Able to create and deliver effective instructional plans that feature nature of science and inquiry methods that are data-based and promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
5. Prepared to incorporate technology, math and statistics into lessons regularly.
6. Able to apply effective and varied assessment tools in order to gauge student learning and develop their teaching expertise.
7. Poised to become active members of the science education community
8. Prepared to conduct physics experiments safely and teach safe laboratory practices to students.

A secondary goal of the program is to provide service to the community through outreach efforts to elementary, middle, and high schools, informal science providers, industry and government.

 

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Outcomes- Students will be able to:

1. Explain current concepts and practices of contemporary physics as defined by the National Science Education Standards and Next Generation Science Standards.
2. Develop lessons that engage students explicitly and implicitly in the nature and practices of science and engineering design (as identified by the frameworks in the NGSS.)
3. Plan instructional sequences that are student-centered and foster exploration and inquiry by students so they construct deep science knowledge.
4. Make linkages between physics and science in general to real-world applications/relevance for local communities and society.
5. Create a safe, positive and productive classroom environment to maximize student learning.
6. Integrate their knowledge of content and pedagogy to plan lessons for diverse learners.
7. Evaluate student conceptions and learning through the use of varied assessments and use assessment to guide instruction.
8. Reflect on their developing teaching effectiveness and amend their practice using video, student work samples and peer/instructor critiques

 

 

Curriculum Map

K=Knowledge/Comprehension;         A=Application/Analysis;          S=Synthesis/Evaluation

 

	P2100, P2200, P2330, P2700 B1710, ES114, C1400/1410, C1450/1460	P3110, P3150, P3250,	P4500 or P3500	P4550	ED1520, ED2000, PSYC 2020, ED4301, READ 4100	ED4500, ED4303	P4630	P1092	P4750
a Explain concepts	K	A	A,S	A,S			A,S	S	S
b NOS	K	A	A,S	A,S			A,S	S	S
c Inquiry	K,A	A,S	A,S	S			A,S	S	S
d STS			A	A			A,S	S	S
e safety	K	K	A	S			K,A,S	S	S
f PCK			K		K	K	A,S		S
g Assessment			K		K	K	K,A,S	S	S
h. Reflection			K		K	K, A	A, S		S

 

P= Physics, C=Chemistry, B= Biology, Ed= Education, ES= Earth Science, READ=Readings, PHYC= Psychology

 

PEOs	SLOs	Assessment Instruments	Criteria	Program Effectiveness Criteria
1	a	NSTA 1/ COE 1 Licensure- Content Test	A*: 240 -269 T*: 270 or greater	A: 80% of candidates pass with score of 240/300 or better overall T: 100% of candidates  pass with score of 240 or better, overall
1-6, 8	a-h	NSTA 1/ COE 1: Licensure- APT/edTPA	APT: A: 240 -269 T: 270 or greater   EdTPA: A: Overall passing score (passing score is dynamic and will be changing at the state level) T: Exceeds overall passing score by 10%	A: 80% of candidates pass T: 100% of candidates  pass
1	a	NSTA 2/ COE 2: Content Knowledge- Content area GPA	A: 2.50 ≤ x < 3.25 T: 3.25 ≤ x ≤ 4.00	A: 80% of candidates attain or exceed Acceptable GPA T: 100% of candidates attain or exceed Acceptable GPA
2,4, 5, 8	b,c,d	NSTA 3/ COE 3: Planning	A: B grade (80-89%) on Instructional Sequence T: A grade (90% or higher) on Instructional Sequence	A: 80% of students obtain a grade of B or greater on Instructional Sequence T: 100% of students earn 80% or better on Instructional Sequence
2, 3, 4, 5, 8	a,b,c,d,e,f,g	COE 4: Implementation	A: B overall grade on Student Teacher Final Evaluation Report T: A overall grade on Student Teacher Evaluation Report	A and T:100% of student candidates earn a B or better on Final Student Teacher Evaluation Report
8	e	NSTA 4: Safety Planning and Implementation	A: 12-18pts out of 24 (10-12pts out of 20 if no live animals) on Safety Observation and Planning rubric T: 19-24pts out of 24 (16-20pts out of 20 if no live animals) on Safety Observation and Planning rubric	A: 100% of students earn Acceptable or greater on Safety Rubric T: 100% of students earn 80% or better on Safety Rubric
2, 3, 4, 6, 8	a,b,c,d,e,f,g, h	NSTA 5/ COE 5: Impact on Student Learning / Environment	A: 4-8 pts out of 12 pts on Evidence of Student Leanring rubric T: 9-12 pts out of 12 pts on Evidence of Student Learning rubric	A:100% of students earn Acceptable or better Target: 100% of students earn Acceptable or Target with at least 50% Target
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7	a,b.c.d.e.f.g, h	COE 6: Professional Portfolio & Dispositions	Portfolio: A: B (80%)grade on Portfolio rubric T: A grade(90%) on portfolio rubric) Disposition: A: Acceptable overall on Disposition Rubric T: Target overall on Disposition Rubric	A: 80% of students pass with score of earn 80% or better on Portfolio and Dispositions rubric T: 100% of candidates earn 80% or better on Portfolio and Dispositions Rubric
4, 7	a, d	NSTA 6: Professional Knowledge and Skills	A: 5-8 pts out of 12 pts on Professional Knowledge and Skills rubric T: 9-12 pts out of 12 pts on Professional Knowledge and Skills rubric	A:100% of students earn Acceptable or better Target: 100% of students earn Acceptable or Target with at least 50% Target

*A= Acceptable,  T= Target