What is a Digital Library?
A digital library is a series of activities, collections, services, tools, and people in support of the creation, dissemination, use, and preservation of information, data, and knowledge (Griffin, 1998). The Physics Front (http://thephysicsfront.org) is one such digital library collection for K-12 physics and physical science teachers developed under the larger umbrella of the ComPADRE Digital Library Collection.
ComPADRE is sponsored jointly by the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), the American Astronomical Society, the American Institute of Physics, the Society of Physics Students, and the American Physical Society. It is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) within the larger National Science Digital Library (NSDL) Pathways Project. Eight Pathway projects exist in the NSDL, each of which is charged with making connections to and providing services for specific audiences, and engages existing community efforts in the selection, promotion, and recognition of quality resources (Mason, 2007).
What Do the Strands of Science Proficiency Look Like?
According to the report of the Committee on Science Learning, Taking Science to School (Duschl, Schweingruber, & Shouse, 2007), students should be able to
- know, use, and interpret scientific explanations of the natural world;
- generate and evaluate scientific evidence and explanations;
- understand the nature and development of scientific knowledge; and,
- participate productively in scientific practices and discourse.
These strands are the touchstone of science literacy, pointing K-8 teachers towards concrete applications of science concepts for the classroom (Duschl et al., 2007). The teacher’s companion guide to the report, Ready, Set, Science! (Michaels, Shouse & Schweingruber, 2007), contains concrete examples with classroom vignettes applying these four strands to learning and teaching science in the K-8 classroom. Digital resources, such as The Physics Front (http://thephysicsfront.org), can support and augment these best practices to inform science curriculum at all instructional levels.
Figure 1. Applying technology to scientific practice
How Could The Physics Front Inform Middle School Science Learning?
The Physics Front (TPF) is a free digital library provided by the AAPT in partnership with the NSF and the NSDL, providing hundreds of lesson plans, field-tested labs, teacher content support, student tutorials, and simulations to suit the teacher’s individual needs in four course levels: K-8 physical sciences, conceptual physics, algebra-based physics, and AP physics.
The materials contained within TPF collection have been reviewed and evaluated by teachers and editors. When a teacher registers and becomes a member of TPF Community, he or she will then have free and full access to all resources and features, including the ability to share and communicate with other educators, mentors, editors, and experts.
Registering a Profile on TPF
To become a member of TPF and obtain full access to the website’s resources and user community, browse the website (http://thephysicsfront.org), as shown in Figure 2. To register, select “register” from the left navigation bar. You will be asked to fill in some required information, which will never be accessible to third parties. For more information on TPF’s privacy policy, please go to http://thephysicsfront.org/webdocs/Privacy.cfm.
Figure 2. How to register with TPF community
Once you have registered, you will be able to create a profile on TPF. Profiles reflect a member’s affiliation, contact information, and as much personal information as a member is comfortable revealing. After registering and creating a profile, shared folders are listed so that others in TPF community can share resources (see Figure 3).
Figure 3. Example of user profile
