Teacher Fellowship Scheme:
Promoting stronger links between schools and universities
The Institute of Physics (the Institute) was pleased to be able to run the Teacher Fellowship Scheme in Wales through the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW)-funded Stimulating Physics in Wales Programme, which ran from August 2008 to December 2010. The core aims of the programme were to find ways to increase the numbers of students taking physics at A-level and progressing onto a degree in physics.
“We intend on making some changes to the curriculum and general teaching methods as a result.” - Host Physics Department
The Teacher Fellowship Scheme was a key initiative in the programme – the aim was to forge and foster stronger links between schools and university physics departments, with a view to forming a partnership with the school and local university. Two teacher fellows, a teacher and a college lecturer, were appointed to two of the Physics departments in Wales (Cardiff and Swansea). Both of the fellows were at their host physics departments for two-days a week over the 2009-2010 academic year and embarked on a series of initiatives aimed at easing the transition between school and university physics.
The departments have benefitted significantly from the contribution of the teacher fellows. One department stated that the teacher fellow’s contribution “has given the staff in the University better insight into the likely physics knowledge of school leavers, the methods by which they learn at school and the anticipated level of their mathematical and practical skills. We intend making some changes to the curriculum and general teaching methods as a result.” Another department is planning to introduce a new optional Level 3 module under the aegis of the Undergraduate Ambassadors Scheme (UAS), in which students with an interest in teaching can spend time working in local schools under the supervision of a Teacher/mentor. The teacher fellow had taken a lead role in making this happen.
“The teacher-fellowship scheme has given me the benefit of better knowledge of what is expected of students embarking on a degree in Physics, so that I can use this knowledge to better prepare students for university." - Teacher Fellow
This scheme followed the Teacher Fellowship scheme in England where the Institute of Physics offered the Teacher Fellowship Scheme to 10 university physics departments through the Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCE)-funded Stimulating Physics Programme, which ran from May 2006 to July 2009. A report was produced which gives an overview of how a university department can implement its own Teacher Fellowship Scheme, and distilled key recommendations on how departments can improve their teaching, learning and outreach activities. The report can be found here.
In place of reproducing a similar report for Wales these web pages are a summary of the experiences, recommendations and suggestions of the Institute’s teacher fellows in Wales.
Four top tips for teachers are summary points of what the Teacher Fellows found to be important during their time at the host physics departments.
Recommendations and Suggestions for Physics Departments are a result of observations by the Teacher Fellows.
