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Abstract
This exploratory phenomenological study investigates the lived experiences of six high school physics teachers in Nebraska regarding their perceptions on the impact of participating in a science-based out-of-school program.
By exploring the research question, we discover how this experience relates to these teachers’ self-concept and professional growth. Open-ended, semi-structured, one-on-one interviews are used as the data collection method to explore teachers’ perceptions. Responses reveal that teachers participating in the Cosmic Ray Observatory Project (CROP) as a means of exploring advanced, extracurricular physics projects perceive their participation as an opportunity for enrichment, collaboration, helping their students, and empowerment. Intertwined in the presented narratives, teachers refer to their schools’ limited administrative support as a source of struggle tied to the challenge of balancing school and teaching responsibilities with CROP participants’ responsibilities.
This study proposes teachers must feel confident with their specific subject area to achieve a progressive view of self, and that supplemental professional development opportunities are crucial to physics teaching.
