This grant equips an activity room to provide improved physical science instruction, primarily to elementary education majors. The course expansion from one term to a year-long sequence offers increased course content with a balanced mix of laboratory experience, physical science concepts, and pedagogy. The course models approaches and methods of teaching science, based on the belief that new teachers rarely try methods that they have not directly experienced. Consequently, the course upgrade centers around an activity-based, guided-inquiry format that relies heavily on teaching tools developed and tested by leading researchers in physics teaching and on experience with the Workshop Physics mode in algebra- and calculus-based courses. Previous course requirements for the elementary education program have been such that they can be satisfied by enrolling in traditional large sections of biology and astronomy with little or no laboratory component. The department has offered an activity-based physical science course since 1990. However, it has been available to only 24 students, typically one quarter per academic year, because of the lack of space and equipment. Continued success with this limited physical science offering, proven track record with other activity-based physics courses, and in-service teachers workshops have led to a serious discussion about the need for a year-long physical science course. A fully implemented course can lead to improved physical science instruction for preservice elementary teachers and serve as a model for other institutions.
