BYU Instructor Featured in Science

This week's Science has a news story about BYU instructor Duane Merrell, who is grooming high school science teachers.

Merrell, who has received a presidential teaching award and numerous state teaching honors, teaches three courses that form the core of the physics education curriculum (along with more traditional education courses and student teaching). Students must complete all but three courses of what's needed for a traditional physics degree, and many students find a way to cram those additional courses into their schedule. Merrell's goal is to connect the pedagogy with the science so that these future teachers "will have multiple ways to engage their students." Despite a heavy teaching load, he tries to get off campus and into the schools as much as possible, checking on the progress of the students, offering tips on how to present a lesson or lab, and helping them prepare for the profession they have chosen. ...

So far, Merrell is making his presence felt. BYU's annual production of science teachers exceeds those for many states, let alone individual institutions, which suggests he's doing something right. [bolding added]

I guess it's about 15/year. I hope all of those teachers don't plan on staying in Utah.

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"BYU Takes Team Approach Led by a Master Teacher" [no link; subscription required]
Science 1 June 2007:
Vol. 316. no. 5829, p. 1272