TLIIST LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN PRACTICE

“Physics Teacher Qualifications: Examining Influence on Minorities,” is a paper presented at the 2020 Winter Meeting of the American Association of Physics Teachers, Orlando, Florida, January 18, 2020.

Abstract

Several studies have used teacher credentials to measure teaching effectiveness. Such qualifications include possession of undergraduate degree major and certification in a teaching subject. A survey of 510 in-service physics teachers in Texas revealed that fewer than 13 percent certified in physics or physical science, and only 33.0 percent possess an undergraduate degree major in physical science fields. On the contrary, the study results indicated that of 540 biology teachers survey, 73.6 possess undergraduate degree major in biological sciences and 58.5 percent certified in life science. Overall, biology teachers seem more qualified than their physics counterparts. The majority of physics teachers appear to be teaching out-of-field and have low self-efficacy. Their teaching is characterized by a lack of abilities to teach for critical thinking and engage students’ interest in physics. Research evidence supports that unqualified teachers are usually concentrated more in high-poverty schools where most disadvantaged students attend. The long-time implication is continuous underrepresentation of minorities in physics.