Analysis of Praxis Physics Subject Assessment Examinees and Performance: Who Are Our Prospective Physics Teachers?
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| Title: | Analysis of Praxis Physics Subject Assessment Examinees and Performance: Who Are Our Prospective Physics Teachers? |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Shah, Lisa, Hao, Jie, Rodriguez, Christian A., Fallin, Rebekah, Linenberger-Cortes, Kimberly, Ray, Herman E., Rushton, Gregory T. |
| Source: | Physical Review Physics Education Research. Jan-Jun 2018 14(1):010126. |
| Availability: | American Physical Society. One Physics Ellipse 4th Floor, College Park, MD 20740-3844. Tel: 301-209-3200; Fax: 301-209-0865; e-mail: assocpub@aps.org; Web site: http://prst-per.aps.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 14 |
| Publication Date: | 2018 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | National Science Foundation (NSF) |
| Contract Number: | DUE1557285 DUE1557292 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education |
| Descriptors: | Praxis, Physics, Expertise, Demography, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Preservice Teachers, Elementary Secondary Education, Performance Based Assessment, Gender Differences, Student Participation, Test Bias, Cutting Scores, Ethnicity, Grade Point Average |
| DOI: | 10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.14.010126 |
| ISSN: | 2469-9896 |
| Abstract: | A generally agreed-upon tenant of the physics teaching community is the centrality of subject-specific expertise in effective teaching. However, studies which assess the content knowledge of incoming K-12 physics teachers in the U.S. have not yet been reported. Similarly lacking are studies on if or how the demographic makeup of aspiring physics educators is different from previously reported analyses of the actual high school physics teaching workforce. Here we present findings about the demographics and subject knowledge of prospective high school physics teachers using data from Praxis physics subject assessments administered between 2006 and 2016. Our analysis reveals significant variations in exam participation and performance between men and women, as well as those with different undergraduate majors and academic performance over the past decade. Findings from this work inform understandings and decisions about the quality, recruitment, and preparation of the high school physics teaching workforce. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Number of References: | 53 |
| Entry Date: | 2018 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1180205 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | A generally agreed-upon tenant of the physics teaching community is the centrality of subject-specific expertise in effective teaching. However, studies which assess the content knowledge of incoming K-12 physics teachers in the U.S. have not yet been reported. Similarly lacking are studies on if or how the demographic makeup of aspiring physics educators is different from previously reported analyses of the actual high school physics teaching workforce. Here we present findings about the demographics and subject knowledge of prospective high school physics teachers using data from Praxis physics subject assessments administered between 2006 and 2016. Our analysis reveals significant variations in exam participation and performance between men and women, as well as those with different undergraduate majors and academic performance over the past decade. Findings from this work inform understandings and decisions about the quality, recruitment, and preparation of the high school physics teaching workforce. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2469-9896 |
| DOI: | 10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.14.010126 |
