Towards an increase in the supply of physics teachers

This research aimed to assess the current situation with regard to the staffing and uptake of physics courses in schools; to determine the attitudes of physics undergraduates, physics PGCE students and teachers of physics towards a career in teaching; to investigate the factors which may affect these attitudes and from this information to suggest ways in which the supply of physics teachers may be increased. In the short-term, if the curriculum time allotted to physics is to be maintained, it may be necessary to devise teaching schemes involving less class contact time for physics teachers or the use of underqualified teachers of physics. In this context the learning method generally called supported self-study is described. [Continues.]