Teacher Characteristics and Behaviors
Dr. Phillips is currently working on a project that extends previous work on student learning and applies it to teachers. Many of the same problems that students face- not planning, monitoring and adjusting their thinking are the same as teachers. Once teachers do self-regulate, our model says that they would employ methods proven to increase student learning.
There are two separate research projects related to teacher development. As Associate Science Director of LMU's Center for Math and Science Teaching (CMAST) I am collaborating with Dr. Cathy McElwain and Kathy Clemmer to examine in-service teachers who participate in CMAST training programs. The teachers who are being studied in this project are secondary math and science teachers. The second project focuses on high school and college physics teachers. Unlike the first project, where the teachers share a common professional development experiences, in this one we are interested in seeing how various experiences, formal and informal, correlate with classroom practices. 
Lisa Taylor was recently featured in a story on LMU's website about her presentation in Washington at the Posters on the Hill event. The annual event on Capitol Hill showcases outstanding undergraduate research from across the country. Ms. Taylor’s poster was one of 60 selected from almost 300 submissions for presentation at the annual event hosted by the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR).
Papers
- Physics Teacher Characteristics and Classroom Practices, AIP Conference Proceedings (2010) (Note: This paper was selected as a Finalist for 2010 PERC Proceedings Paper Award. Finalists are noteworthy in terms of the quality of research, readability and impact on the PER Community.)
Presentations
- Promoting Changes to Teachers’ Classroom Practices (2011 Summer AAPT Meeting)
- A Survey of Southern California Physics Teachers' Characteristics and Classroom Practice (2010 SCAAPT Fall Meeting)
- Physics Teacher Characteristics and Classroom Practices (2010 PERC)
- Assessing the Effectiveness of the MAST Program for In-Service Teachers (2010 CUR Posters on the Hill)
- Assessing the Effectiveness of the MAST Program for In-Service Teachers (2009 Southern California Conferences for Undergraduate Research)
For additional information contact Dr. Phillips.
