External Links

About the Program

The ITQ/TOPPS Project at Northwestern Oklahoma State University is designed to provide high quality professional development opportunities for high school and middle school science teachers across northwestern Oklahoma.

The program will help 20 area teachers gain physics content area knowledge, develop new teaching strategies, integrate instructional technology and attain “Highly Qualified” status. The ultimate goals are to enhance classroom teaching, learning effectiveness and improve student achievement in physics and physical science.

ToPPS II: The physics/science content of energy, impulse, momentum and energy will be investigated using the nationally-proven Physics Teacher Resource Agent (PTRA) program curricula developed by the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT).

During the summer of 2011, ToPPS I was held.  During that institute, the physics/science content of kinematics, dynamics and Newton’s laws were investigated.  Attendance at the ToPPS I institute is not a requirement for attending ToPPS II. 

ToPPS Program Components

• A five-day summer institute held at NWOSU, which includes intensive workshops, as well as evening educational and mentoring activities.
• Two Saturday follow-up meetings; one held in April 2013 and another in October of 2013. These will be held at NWOSU (most likely the Enid campus).
• Online sessions during which the Teacher Scholars can share their experiences of implementing institute techniques and pedagogies in their classrooms.

Program Features 

• Hands On
• Minds On
• Active Participation
• High Tech Labs
• Low Tech Labs
• Computer Interfacing
• Project Construction
• White-Boarding
• Constructing and Analyzing Graphs
• Mentoring and Fun Evening Activities

Program Benefits

• Ideas for and opportunities to do laboratory activities
• Tips on classroom demonstrations and presentations
• Updates and new approaches for standard topics
• Introduction to new approaches and teaching strategies
• Colleagues to contact for encouragement and suggestions
• The opportunity to enroll in 3 hours of graduate level Education (EDUC) , Physics (PHYS) or Physical Science (PHSC) credit

Additional Support

Each participant will receive:

• A $600 stipend to defray travel costs and incidental expenses
• On-campus housing for the summer institute
• Teacher resource guides and other instructional materials to take back and use in the classroom

NWOSU ITQ ToPPS Personnel

Brian Lamore, Jill Lewis & Evelyn Restivo

• Lead PTRAs

Jim Nelson

• Consultant and Principal Investigator for the AAPT/PTRA Program

Steven Maier

• Principal Investigator for the 2011-12 OSRHE ITQ/ToPPS Program
• Associate Professor of Physics at NWOSU

Please Direct Correspondence To: