Undergraduate Program - Teaching Degrees

Assessment

Learning Objectives

The physics teaching degrees are the BS in Physics Teaching and the BS in Composite Teaching-Physical Science. Typically the number of students enrolled in these programs is less than 10% of our physics majors. The two degrees require a relatively small number of physics courses in conjunction with the requirements from the Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP). The principal goal of our program relative to these degrees is to give students a scientific background adequate to prepare them to teach science.

Objective 1

Physics Teaching Majors
Students of the program will synthesize and prepare to teach physics topics in the Utah Core Curriculum Standards for High School Physics and AP Physics 1.

Utah Core Curriculum Standards - High School
AP Physics Learning Objectives

Composite Science Teaching Majors
Students of the program will synthesize and prepare to teach physics topics in the Utah Core Curriculum Standards for 6-9th Grade science. In addition, they will construct requisite background knowledge in Chemistry, Biology, and Geology sufficient to integrate these other sciences into their future teaching.

Utah Core Curriculum Standards - Grades 6
Utah Core Curriculum Standards - Grades 7
Utah Core Curriculum Standards - Grades 8
Utah Core Curriculum Standards - Grades 9

Objective 2

Students will construct sufficient knowledge of physics to satisfy Utah educational standards for a highly qualified secondary science teacher.

Assessment Plan

Outcomes Data

2024 External Review Results
Departmental Response


Education data (PAES)
:  
Fall 2021 – Spring 2024
Physics: 65
Physical Science: 64

Data-based Decisions

The assessment plan and data collection are new as of academic year 2024.  The data will be discussed and acted upon (if appropriate) in academic year 2025.