OPERATION PHYSICS: Development and Support of State Operation Physics Workshop Leader Training Programs

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In this final phase of the Operation Physics project 252 leader teachers, who are members of nationally trained OP teams that have continued to conduct at least 72 hours of OP workshops each year, will attend The National Operation Physics Improvement Conferences to: 1) improve OP products and services, 2) disseminate exemplary locally developed enhancements to OP materials and 3) hone skills to train a cadre of additional workshop leaders in each of their own states. In accomplishing (3), the OP project will continue, during the next three years, to train and support three member teams of qualified individuals to lead physics inservice programs for 4th-8th grade teachers in their local areas using workshop kits especially developed for the project. These inservice program will provide upper elementary and middle school teachers of science with a better understanding of the physics topics typically included in their science curriculum, and supply them with ideas for effectively teaching their students about these topics. Leadership training programs are planned in each state, with the exception of Texas, South Carolina, and Connecticut which have already completed such programs. Most will be held during the summer on a college or university campus, and range from 1-4 weeks in lengths. Program presenters will include national OP staff and teams of outstanding science educators who participated in the 1988 or 1989 national OP program; all presenters have conducted numerous successful OP workshops with 4th-8th grade teachers. Support for OP leadership training programs is being provided from the National Science Foundation as well as from state and local funding sources and the American Institute of Physics. Individuals applying for participation must be professional active science educators with expertise in physics and/or pre-secondary science education. Each participant will receive a comprehensive set of workshop materials for each physics topic to use in planning and conducting inservice OP programs. Travel, subsistence, stipends and other support for the training programs very from state to state. Program participants will be required to conduct a minimum number of inservice workshops for target audience teachers after the training program, and to participate in planned follow-up activities. These peer-led workshops will introduce a large multiplier effect for OP inservice activities. Cost sharing equals 180% of the NSF award.