Physics Education: Making it Better (?)

1. Physics Education: Making it Better (?) Peter MainDirector, Education and Science Teacher Update, University of Sussex23 March 2013 peter.main@iop.org, www.iop.org

2. Plan • Emerging from the gloom: some statistics • Standards and Assessments • Curriculum • Widening Participation • Summary

3. EMERGING FROM THE GLOOM SOME STATISTICS

4. When I arrived at the Institute in 2002 • The was no such thing as a physics teacher – only science teachers • We needed ~ 700 new physics teachers a year to stop numbers falling further and were getting 300 – 400 • A-level numbers had fallen from ~ 55,000 in the mid-eighties to ~ 27,000 • The number of universities offering a physics degree had fallen from 72 to 46 • ….and everyone was very miserable

5. The Good News! • Government set separate targets for physics chemistry and biology teachers • IOP marketing campaign and government and IOP offer ITT Scholarships • Record ITT entries for last 3 years • 5 departments (re-)introducing new physics degrees • University entrants rocketing • A-level numbers recovering well

6. HE Statistics: Gathering Statistics

7. A-levels: Statistics

8. Physics Teachers • In 2011, IOP identified a shortage of > 4000 specialist teachers (out of 10000 - 11000) • Estimated ~1000 recruits a year for 15 years to restore parity with chemistry and biology (average was ~ 400 a year) • Managed to persuade government to introduce Physics with Maths as a teaching route • Now beginning to reach required levels and with 50% of entrants with “good degrees”

10. Future? • School Direct • Government seems very keen…. • …but huge issues • Expert Teachers • Keeping good teachers in classroom • “Expert Teacher” status • Career route via external developmental activity

11. STANDARDS and ASSESSMENTS

12. Grade Severity of A-levels

13. 2011 question Explain what is meant by work done [1] A car is travelling along a road that has a uniform downhill gradient as shown The car has a mass 850kg. The angle of the road is 7.5o. Calculate the component of the weight of the car down the slope (units given) [2] The car travels at a constant speed of 25 m s-1 and the driver applies the brakes to stop the car. The constant force resisting the motion is 4600N (i) Show that the deceleration of the car is 4.1ms-1(equation given) (ii) Calculate the distance the car travels from when the brakes are applied to when the car comes to rest [2] (equation and units given) (iii) Calculate the loss in KE of the car (equation and units given) [2] (iv) The work done by the resisting force (units given) [1] (v) Explain why the two quantities in (iii) and (iv) are not equal [1]

14. 1986 question A model electric train of mass 1kg runs on a level track at a steady speed of 0.4ms-1. The resistance to forward motion is 4N. (i) What is the magnitude of the forward force exerted by the engine [1] (ii) Calculate the power required to maintain this speed [2] (iii) Calculate the current required to produce this power from a 12V battery [2] (iv) Calculate the extra power required when this train climbs a slope of 1 in 20 (see diagram) at the same steady speed. [3]

15. Comparison • In 1986 no formulae or units given • Much less structured in 1986: final part more demanding • In 1986 synthesis of electricity and mechanics

16. O-levels and A-levels • Up to late 1980s, Physics O-level was optional (numbers increasing year by year) • A-levels numbers ~ 50,000 (cf ~30,000 today) • At age ~16, pupils spent about 12.5% of their time on Physics, if they did it • When GCSEs and double science came in, pupils spent about 6.7% of their time doing physics (then there was HSW…)

17. A-levels: Mathematics • Mind the Gap report on the degree to which physics and engineering students are prepared mathematically for their courses • Followed up with a seminar involving DfE, Ofqual and all awarding bodies • SCORE report Mathematics in Science: awarding bodies not even assessing the mathematics they have in the specifications

18. A-levels: Mind the Gap (IOP 2011)

19. A-levels: Ofqual Review • “I am troubled by reports from learned bodies such as the Institute of Physics.” Letter from Michael Gove to Ofqual, April 2012 • “We will want to be sure that respected university departments and learned societies support the content defined for each new A level.” Letter from Glenys Stacey (CEO Ofqual) to Michael Gove

20. Adding it all up • Physics is the “hardest” A-level • Physics A-level is much easier than it used to be…. • ….when there were 60+% more people taking it • Big step from GCSE to A-level • Universities feel there is not enough maths in physics A-level one hell of a mess

21. HE Statistics: destinations of A-level students • 85% of those with A-level physics also had A-level maths or FM • ~97% of students with A-level physics go to university, most to do STEM(M) subjects • Only ~10% of Physics A-level students choose to follow a physics degree (around 25%-30% go to engineering) • 46% of physics entrants had >480 UCAS points (math 40%, chem 30%, bio 21%, EE 14%)

23. A-level Assessment: the Proposals • Mr Gove asked Russell Group to advise on A-levels • They have reluctantly agreed for the “facilitating subjects”, including physics • But they have told us that they want no part to play in assessment • Therefore, it is likely current “race to the bottom” will continue with awarding bodies unchecked. • Also decoupled AS-levels from A-levels (whatever that means)

24. A-level Assessment: what the IOP would like • National Subject Committees • Convened by independent body (learned society where appropriate) • No commercial interest in process • Involves academics, teachers and employers • Sets criteria for content • Sets criteria for assessment • Plays a role in monitoring assessment

25. GCSE Assessment: the proposals • “ More challenging” GCSEs • Totally opaque process for setting criteria – no real consultation • For EBAC, students must take 3 sciences out of 4 (now includes Computer Science) and pass 2. (i.e. can drop a core science after KS3) • New school accountability proposals at KS4 • “Super 8” replaces 5 GCSEs at A* to C • Super 8 has English, maths + best 3 EBAC subjects + best 3 others • Calculated on a value-added basis

26. GCSE Assessment: the Future • With the majority of schools not following the National Curriculum, it is vital we get the KS4 exams right. • Ideally, the GCSEs could also be in national subject committees • We must protect laboratory work • Why do we need more than one awarding body? (as opposed to more than one specification)

27. CURRICULUM

28. What do we want from a physics curriculum? • Needs to be coherent with what goes before and what comes after • Needs to be coherent with other subjects • Needs to give everyone an authentic feel of what physics is (including lab work) • Needs to challenge and excite (or is that the teachers?)

29. Definitions (Concise Oxford Dictionary) • Biology • Study of living organisms • Chemistry • Study of the elements, the compounds they form and the reactions they undergo. • Physics • Science dealing with the properties and interactions of matter and energy (!)

30. My definition of physics • …a way of thinking, a reductionist view of the world where phenomena can be understood in terms of a relatively small number of physical laws and limited only by the complexity of a system or phenomena. • Consequences: • This reductionist definition purposely removes reference to content. • It distinguishes the physicist from the engineer. • The process develops critical thinking skills. • The process requires mathematical manipulations. • The process also requires careful measurement and instrumentation.

31. The “Big Ideas” of Physics • Reductionism. • Causality • Universality • Mathematical modelling • Conservation • Equilibrium • Differences cause change • Dissipation and irreversibility. • Symmetry and broken symmetry.

32. Thinking Like a Physicist • critical thinking and scepticism • deep understanding • seeking consistency • quantitative understanding • developing models of systems • simplifying situations to their core elements • Approximation. Limiting cases etc. • isolating phenomena to test experimentally • refining models through the sequence of experiment -> model -> prediction -> test; • accepting explanations that are beyond ‘common sense’.

33. Making the curriculum better • Can we bring some of these ideas into the teaching of physics in schools? • SCORE (us, the RSC, SB, ASE and Royal Society) have published guidelines on how to make good science GCSEs: see www.iop.org/guidelines • Guidelines include suggestions on practical work • See also article in Physics World, April 2013

34. WIDENING PARTICPATION

35. Areas of Concern • Two Major Issues • Girls in Physics • Socio-economic background • Also • Ethnicity – project in West London school – large increase in A-level numbers • STEM Disability Committee

36. Raising Aspirations in Physics • Working with a school in the NE • Already identified many issues: • Lack of parental knowledge of the “system” • Lack of parental knowledge of what jobs there are • Students lack confidence and can be intimidated by many interventions • Basic literacy and numeracy • No physics department in Newcastle University

37. Girls in Physics

38. A-level subjects for male students 2012 A-level subjects for female students 2012

39. It’s Different for Girls An exploration of data from the National Pupil Data-base • Looking at progression to A-level physics from different types of school at KS4. • Assuming that pupils’ experience of KS4 will be a critical factor in choice of A levels. • Are there patterns in the type of school where pupils’ sat their GCSEs and progression on to A-level physics?

44. Girls in Physics: what we would like to happen • Ofsted to help schools take their Public Sector Diversity Duty seriously • Benchmarking against national figures in stereotyped subjects (physics, MFL etc.) • A move away from the “tried and Inadequate” exercises (role models, special workshops etc.) to new projects

45. Girls in Physics: new ideas • Benchmarking and Ofsted • Contacting Heads and governors in schools guilty of worst stereotyping and offering resources to combat gender stereotyping. • “Priming”: convincing girls they are good at the subject • Girls taking responsibility: Physics is a Feminist Issue • Whole school work with all teachers

46. SUMMARY • Physics is actually in better health than for decades – golden opportunity to make it even stronger • Assessment regimes in school like a house with “opportunities for the DIY expert” – it is not fit for purpose • There are once-in-a-generation opportunities if we can grasp them

47. Points to Discuss • Standards • National Subject Committees and assessment • Transition to HE • Safeguarding laboratory work • Dealing with awarding bodies • School accountability • “Expert Teachers” • How to include the “big ideas of physics” • Girls in Physics measures

48. Thank You! Professor Peter MainDirector, Education and ScienceSEPnet Teacher Update University of Sussex 23 March 2013 peter.main@iop.org, www.iop.org