Bringing together K–12, Two-Year College, and Higher Education educators to address the challenges and leverage the opportunities of AI.

Key Highlights

  • 1-Day In-Person Kickoff: Full-day interactive session during the AAPT Winter Meeting Workshop Day.

  • Travel Stipend: Reimbursement of up to $1,800 for travel, hotel, and meeting registration.
  • 1-Year Action Research: Test interventions in your physics classroom during Spring, synthesize results over Summer, and co-author Professional Development (PD) resources for the physics education community.

  • Inclusive Cohort: 10–12 physics educators across K–12, Two-Year Colleges (TYC), and Higher Education. No single "expert"—participants drive the goals, experimentation, and outcomes.

Program Overview & Mission

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing how students approach physics learning, problem-solving, and laboratory analysis. Rather than relying on top-down answers, AAPT is launching the AI Leadership Working Group—a practitioner-led initiative where educators collaborate across institutional boundaries.

Our Core Philosophy

  1. Explore Dual Realities: Tackle the threats (academic integrity, reliance on LLMs for homework) while harvesting the opportunities (personalized scaffolding, lab data synthesis, prompt engineering, AI literacy).
  2. Action-Oriented Testing: Move quickly from idea to practice by executing real classroom experiments during the Spring term.
  3. Scalable Impact: Transform classroom insights into ready-to-use Professional Development modules shared broadly with the AAPT community.

1-Year Lifecycle & Roadmap

Phase 1: In-Person Kickoff

  • When: January 2027 AAPT Winter Meeting – Workshop Day

  • Where:Hilton New Orleans Riverside in New Orleans, Louisiana

  • Activities: Problem framing, cross-tier brainstorming, and drafting Spring classroom experimentation protocols.

Phase 2: Spring Classroom Testing

  • When: Spring Semester 2027

  • Where: Your Home Institution

  • Activities: Pilot AI strategies (e.g., AI-resistant assessments, AI lab partners, prompt literacy) in active physics classes.

Phase 3: Summer & Fall Synthesis

  • When: Summer / Fall Term 2027

  • Where: Monthly Virtual Check-ins (~1 hr/month)

  • Activities: Review student work and data, refine lesson frameworks, and draft professional development products.

Phase 4: Community Dissemination

  • When: Winter 2028

  • Where: AAPT Community Platforms & Workshops

  • Activities: Deliver co-facilitated professional development.

Participant Benefits

  • $1,800 Travel Stipend: Covers travel, lodging, and AAPT Winter Meeting expenses.

  • Inter-Level Collaboration: Connect deeply with peers across K-12, TYC, and University settings.

  • Leadership: Co-author AAPT-backed professional development materials and present findings.

Application & Eligibility

Who Should Apply?

  • Current physics educators at any instructional level (K-12, Two-Year Colleges, 4-Year Universities).

  • Educators open to exploring all sides of AI in physics education No prior AI technical expertise is required. We are looking for a range of experiences with AI.

Requirements

  1. Full attendance at the AAPT Winter Meeting, including the pre-conference Working Group workshop day.
  2. Must stay at the conference hotel.
  3. Active physics teaching role in Spring to execute a classroom test.
  4. Participation in monthly 1-hour virtual meetings over the 1-year cycle.

Apply Now

 

For questions about the program or application process, please contact k12programs@aapt.org.