A preliminary study of university physics for secondary science teachers : will content be enough?

This chapter examines continuing teacher professional development through a university level physics course. The study was conducted in a regional university and focused on working teachers' perceptions of the benefits of the course and the effectiveness of its mode of delivery. The course was face-to-face, fast tracked, and held outside school hours, funded on a 'one off' basis. Case study methods were employed to collect comprehensive and detailed data throughout the course and were used to frame the outcomes and recommendations. Teachers were stimulated by the challenge of university study. They appreciated the mode of presentation of the course, but found the pace problematical. Teachers with physics classes indicated changes in their teaching practice. If ongoing teacher development at this level is to continue, employers will need to match the teachers' willingness to give their time, with formal systems of support, reward and recognition.