A graduate physics education research course for teachers

Physics and physical science (including space science) is perhaps the most difficult topic for the secondary schools to teach because of the lack of well-prepared teachers. To be well prepared to teach this subject teacher must have both a knowledge of physical science and some knowlegde of congitive science as it relates to the teaching of physical science. In this talk I will describe a graduate course in physics education research currently being offered to middle school and high school teachers who teach physics, astronomy, and physical science. The course itself is an experiment, comprising training in both scientific and pedogogical contnent knowlege, along with the application of that knowledge to the classroom through action research. A special focus of the course is a review of appropriate topics in space science, along with evaluation by the teachers of student difficulties with space science concepts that students are expected to master according to Texas states guidelines.