ATE Workshops for Physics Faculty

技术员教育的重点是让学生为处理复杂技术系统的劳动力工作做好准备。这样的技术人员不仅需要有特定的技术知识，而且还需要扎实的物理知识基础，以便他们有能力识别、制定、记录和解决现在和未来的实际问题；以及部署新技术。通常，这种与物理相关的核心知识和解决问题的能力预计将在高中(HS)和/或两年制大学(TYC)教授的传统物理课程中获得，这些课程是由传统培训的、支持有限和工作量大的物理教育工作者获得的。这些课程通常与技术教育专家分开，关注的是很少的劳动力问题。通常，这些物理课程不提供基本的物理知识基础，也不提供建立和加强与物理有关的问题解决工作的活动。这一情况可以通过为HSS和TYCS的物理教师提供工具来改善，以产生更有能力和更有竞争力的劳动力。智力优势：该项目为TYCS和HYCS的物理教师提供一系列为期三天的密集、专注、动手的专业和课程开发研讨会/会议，以及后续活动，这些教师服务于从事技术职业或技术员职业的学生。每年都会在不同的青少年团举办工作坊/会议，并提供特别的奖励措施，以鼓励学校和青少年团的教师队伍。此外，正在举行一系列工作会议，以制定适合技术人员/技术教育的实验室活动和课程。来自TYC、HSS和学院/大学的教育工作者，包括来自工商界的实施领导者和开发人员，领导这些研讨会和工作会议。研讨会涉及基于微型计算机的实验室、数字视频、计算机模拟、概念性任务和工具、网络和互联网活动、小组工作、学习评估和与物理相关的技术人员教育等领域的有效整合、技术实施和学习战略。讲习班、DVD/CD、电子通讯和一个网站都介绍了这些努力。对参加者而言，这些讲习班、工作会议和活动：(A)建立和加强对学生、教育方案、工商业和劳动力在涉及物理和技术领域的需求的了解和欣赏；(B)提供关于计算机技术的最新进展和应用、ATE支持的中心和项目、对学生学习的评估以及相关课程材料和活动的知识和经验；(C)确定和评价讲习班想法在满足学生和方案需求方面的适当性；(D)使他们具备在课程和计划中开发、调整、采用和实施研讨会活动和材料的背景和动机；(E)使他们做好准备，以影响学生在物理学习和劳动力相关问题上的学习；以及(F)向他们提供在TYC和HS物理、技术计划以及与企业和行业之间建立桥梁和发展工作关系的方法和想法。广泛影响：该项目正在帮助提高对物理基本概念、原理和关系的科学理解水平，这些基本概念、原则和关系对于理解物理世界及其与技术劳动力的关系至关重要。这些工作坊和工作会议材料适用于全国各地的中学和两年制大学课程，并提供适合物理入门课程的学生测试的实验室活动和课程。

Technician education focuses on preparing students for workforce jobs that deal with complex technical systems. Such technicians not only need to have specific technical knowledge, but also a strong base in physics knowledge so they have the competence to recognize, formulate, document, and solve real problems now and in the future; as well as deploy new technology. Typically, this core knowledge and problem solving capability related to physics is expected to be obtained in mostly conventional physics courses taught in high schools (HS) and/or two-year colleges (TYC) by traditionally trained, physics educators with limited support and heavy workload demands. These courses are generally isolated from technical education specialists and focus on few workforce issues. Frequently, these physics courses do not provide the foundational physics knowledge base or the activities that build and enhance workforce physics related problem solving. This situation can be improved by supplying the physics faculty at HSs and TYCs the tools that produce a more competent and competitive workforce.Intellectual Merit: This project is providing a series of three-day, intensive, focused, hands-on professional and curriculum development workshops/conferences and follow-up activities for physics teachers in TYCs and HSs who serve students involved in technology-based or technician careers. Each year, workshops/conferences are being held at various TYCs with special incentives to encourage teams of HS and TYC teachers. Additionally, a series of working conferences are being conducted to develop laboratory activities and curriculum appropriate for technician/technology education. Educators from TYCs, HSs, and colleges/universities, which include implementation leaders and developers from business and industry, lead these workshops and working conferences. Workshops deal with effective integration, technology implementation, and learning strategies in areas such as microcomputer-based laboratories, digital video, computer simulations, conceptual tasks and tools, web and internet activities, group work, assessment of learning, and physics-related technician education. Efforts are being featured in workshop sessions, DVDs/CDs, electronic newsletters, and a web site. For participants, these workshops, working conferences, and activities: (a) build and enhance understanding and appreciation of the needs of students, educational programs, business and industry, and the workforce in areas dealing with physics and technology; (b) provide knowledge of and experience with recent advances and applications of computer-based technology, ATE supported centers and projects, assessment of student learning, and relevant curriculum materials and activities; (c) identify and evaluate the appropriateness of the workshop ideas in meeting the needs of students and programs; (d) equip them with the background and incentive to develop, adapt, adopt, and implement workshop activities and materials into courses and programs; (e) prepare them to impact student learning in physics and workforce related issues; and (f) furnish them with ways and ideas for building bridges and developing working relationships between TYC and HS physics, technology programs, and with businesses and industries.Broader impact: The project is helping improve the level of scientific understanding of the fundamental concepts, principles, and relations of physics that are critical to an understanding of the physical world and how it relates to the technological workforce. These workshop and working conference materials are applicable to secondary and two-year college courses throughout the country and provide student-tested laboratory activities and curriculum appropriate for introductory physics courses.