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Transcript of Physics Education: Making it Better (?) Peter Main Director, Education and Science Teacher Update,...
Physics Education: Making it Better (?)
Peter MainDirector, Education and Science Teacher Update, University of Sussex23 March 2013
[email protected], www.iop.org
Plan
Emerging from the gloom: some statistics
Standards and Assessments
Curriculum
Widening Participation
Summary
EMERGING FROM THE GLOOM
SOME STATISTICS
When I arrived at the Institute in 2002 The was no such thing as a physics teacher – only science
teachers We needed ~ 700 new physics teachers a year to stop
numbers falling further and were getting 300 – 400 A-level numbers had fallen from ~ 55,000 in the mid-
eighties to ~ 27,000 The number of universities offering a physics degree had
fallen from 72 to 46 ….and everyone was very miserable
The Good News!
Government set separate targets for physics chemistry and biology teachers
IOP marketing campaign and government and IOP offer ITT Scholarships
Record ITT entries for last 3 years
5 departments (re-)introducing new physics degrees
University entrants rocketing
A-level numbers recovering well
HE Statistics: Gathering Statistics
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Nu
mb
er o
f ac
cep
tan
ces
Year
Acceptances to first degrees for males & females in physics 1990-2011 (source PCAS + UCCA 90-93 & UCAS 94-11).Note: gap relates to the end of the binary divide
A-levels: Statistics
Physics Teachers
In 2011, IOP identified a shortage of > 4000 specialist teachers (out of 10000 - 11000)
Estimated ~1000 recruits a year for 15 years to restore parity with chemistry and biology (average was ~ 400 a year)
Managed to persuade government to introduce Physics with Maths as a teaching route
Now beginning to reach required levels and with 50% of entrants with “good degrees”
Future?
School Direct Government seems very keen…. …but huge issues
Expert Teachers Keeping good teachers in classroom “Expert Teacher” status Career route via external developmental activity
STANDARDS
and
ASSESSMENTS
Grade Severity of A-levels
2011 questionExplain what is meant by work done [1]
A car is travelling along a road that has a uniform downhill gradient as shown
The car has a mass 850kg. The angle of the road is 7.5o.
Calculate the component of the weight of the car down the slope (units given) [2]
The car travels at a constant speed of 25 m s-1 and the driver applies the brakes to stop the car. The constant force resisting the motion is 4600N
(i) Show that the deceleration of the car is 4.1ms-1 (equation given)
(ii) Calculate the distance the car travels from when the brakes are applied to when the car comes to rest [2] (equation and units given)
(iii) Calculate the loss in KE of the car (equation and units given) [2]
(iv) The work done by the resisting force (units given) [1]
(v) Explain why the two quantities in (iii) and (iv) are not equal [1]
1986 question
A model electric train of mass 1kg runs on a level track at a steady speed of 0.4ms-1. The resistance to forward motion is 4N.
(i) What is the magnitude of the forward force exerted by the engine [1]
(ii) Calculate the power required to maintain this speed [2]
(iii) Calculate the current required to produce this power from a 12V battery [2]
(iv) Calculate the extra power required when this train climbs a slope of 1 in 20 (see diagram) at the same steady speed. [3]
Comparison
In 1986 no formulae or units given
Much less structured in 1986: final part more demanding
In 1986 synthesis of electricity and mechanics
O-levels and A-levels
Up to late 1980s, Physics O-level was optional (numbers increasing year by year)
A-levels numbers ~ 50,000 (cf ~30,000 today)
At age ~16, pupils spent about 12.5% of their time on Physics, if they did it
When GCSEs and double science came in, pupils spent about 6.7% of their time doing physics (then there was HSW…)
A-levels: Mathematics
Mind the Gap report on the degree to which physics and engineering students are prepared mathematically for their courses
Followed up with a seminar involving DfE, Ofqual and all awarding bodies
SCORE report Mathematics in Science: awarding bodies not even assessing the mathematics they have in the specifications
A-levels: Mind the Gap (IOP 2011)
A-levels: Ofqual Review
“I am troubled by reports from learned bodies such as the Institute of Physics.”
Letter from Michael Gove to Ofqual, April 2012
“We will want to be sure that respected university departments and learned societies support the content defined for each new A level.”
Letter from Glenys Stacey (CEO Ofqual) to Michael Gove
Adding it all up Physics is the “hardest” A-level Physics A-level is much easier than it used to be…. ….when there were 60+% more people taking it Big step from GCSE to A-level Universities feel there is not enough maths in physics
A-level
one hell of a mess
HE Statistics: destinations of A-level students
85% of those with A-level physics also had A-level maths or FM
~97% of students with A-level physics go to university, most to do STEM(M) subjects
Only ~10% of Physics A-level students choose to follow a physics degree (around 25%-30% go to engineering)
46% of physics entrants had >480 UCAS points (math 40%, chem 30%, bio 21%, EE 14%)
A-level Assessment: the Proposals Mr Gove asked Russell Group to advise on A-levels
They have reluctantly agreed for the “facilitating subjects”, including physics
But they have told us that they want no part to play in assessment
Therefore, it is likely current “race to the bottom” will continue with awarding bodies unchecked.
Also decoupled AS-levels from A-levels (whatever that means)
A-level Assessment: what the IOP would like National Subject Committees
Convened by independent body (learned society where appropriate)
No commercial interest in process Involves academics, teachers and employers Sets criteria for content Sets criteria for assessment Plays a role in monitoring assessment
GCSE Assessment: the proposals “ More challenging” GCSEs Totally opaque process for setting criteria – no real consultation For EBAC, students must take 3 sciences out of 4 (now includes
Computer Science) and pass 2. (i.e. can drop a core science after KS3)
New school accountability proposals at KS4 “Super 8” replaces 5 GCSEs at A* to C Super 8 has English, maths + best 3 EBAC subjects + best 3 others Calculated on a value-added basis
GCSE Assessment: the Future
With the majority of schools not following the National Curriculum, it is vital we get the KS4 exams right.
Ideally, the GCSEs could also be in national subject committees
We must protect laboratory work
Why do we need more than one awarding body? (as opposed to more than one specification)
CURRICULUM
What do we want from a physics curriculum? Needs to be coherent with what goes before and what comes
after
Needs to be coherent with other subjects
Needs to give everyone an authentic feel of what physics is (including lab work)
Needs to challenge and excite (or is that the teachers?)
Definitions (Concise Oxford Dictionary) Biology
Study of living organisms
Chemistry Study of the elements, the compounds they form and the reactions
they undergo.
Physics Science dealing with the properties and interactions of matter and
energy (!)
My definition of physics …a way of thinking, a reductionist view of the world where phenomena
can be understood in terms of a relatively small number of physical laws and limited only by the complexity of a system or phenomena.
Consequences: This reductionist definition purposely removes reference to content. It distinguishes the physicist from the engineer. The process develops critical thinking skills. The process requires mathematical manipulations. The process also requires careful measurement and instrumentation.
The “Big Ideas” of Physics Reductionism. Causality Universality Mathematical modelling Conservation Equilibrium Differences cause change Dissipation and irreversibility. Symmetry and broken symmetry.
Thinking Like a Physicist critical thinking and scepticism deep understanding seeking consistency quantitative understanding developing models of systems simplifying situations to their core elements Approximation. Limiting cases etc. isolating phenomena to test experimentally refining models through the sequence of experiment -> model -> prediction -> test; accepting explanations that are beyond ‘common sense’.
Making the curriculum better
Can we bring some of these ideas into the teaching of physics in schools?
SCORE (us, the RSC, SB, ASE and Royal Society) have published guidelines on how to make good science GCSEs: see www.iop.org/guidelines
Guidelines include suggestions on practical work
See also article in Physics World, April 2013
WIDENING PARTICPATION
Areas of Concern
Two Major Issues Girls in Physics Socio-economic background
Also Ethnicity – project in West London school – large increase in A-
level numbers STEM Disability Committee
Raising Aspirations in Physics
Working with a school in the NE
Already identified many issues: Lack of parental knowledge of the “system” Lack of parental knowledge of what jobs there are Students lack confidence and can be intimidated by many interventions Basic literacy and numeracy No physics department in Newcastle University
Girls in Physics
1 English 63838
2 Psychology 41308
3 Biology 35664
4 Art and Design subjects 34523
5 Mathematics 34301
6 History 26491
7 Sociology 23514
8 Chemistry 23260
15 French 8593
16 Economics 8037
17 Law 7994
18 Physics 7361
19 Design and Technology 7298
20 Political Studies 6591
24 Spanish 4871
25 ICT 4284
26 Mathematics Further 3972
27 Music 3790
36 Irish 203
1 Mathematics 51413
2 Biology 27410
3 Physics 27148
4 Chemistry 25974
5 English 25800
6 History 25161
14 Physical Education 11030
15 Design and Technology 9807
16 Mathematics Further 9251
17 Political Studies 8669
18 Sociology 7843
19 Religious Studies 7298
20 ICT 6804
24 Drama 4763
25 Other modern languages 4020
26 French 3918
27 Computing 3512
36 Irish 101
A-level subjects for female students 2012 A-level subjects for male students 2012
It’s Different for Girls An exploration of data from the National Pupil Data-base
Looking at progression to A-level physics from different types of school at KS4.
Assuming that pupils’ experience of KS4 will be a critical factor in choice of A levels.
Are there patterns in the type of school where pupils’ sat their GCSEs and progression on to A-level physics?
Girls in Physics: what we would like to happen
Ofsted to help schools take their Public Sector Diversity Duty seriously
Benchmarking against national figures in stereotyped subjects (physics, MFL etc.)
A move away from the “tried and Inadequate” exercises (role models, special workshops etc.) to new projects
Girls in Physics: new ideas Benchmarking and Ofsted
Contacting Heads and governors in schools guilty of worst stereotyping and offering resources to combat gender stereotyping.
“Priming”: convincing girls they are good at the subject
Girls taking responsibility: Physics is a Feminist Issue
Whole school work with all teachers
SUMMARY
Physics is actually in better health than for decades – golden opportunity to make it even stronger
Assessment regimes in school like a house with “opportunities for the DIY expert” – it is not fit for purpose
There are once-in-a-generation opportunities if we can grasp them
Points to Discuss Standards National Subject Committees and assessment Transition to HE Safeguarding laboratory work Dealing with awarding bodies School accountability “Expert Teachers” How to include the “big ideas of physics” Girls in Physics measures
Thank You!
Professor Peter MainDirector, Education and ScienceSEPnet Teacher UpdateUniversity of Sussex23 March 2013
[email protected], www.iop.org