Back in 1989, a conference for two-year college (TYC) physics-teaching faculty members identified five critical issues that we face: (1) a sense of isolation; (2) difficulty networking with peers and/or mentors; (3) a lack of professional development opportunities; (4) a lack of data on TYC students and their learning; and (5) a lack of data on faculty, programs, and institutions.1 Add to this the greater diversity of students attending TYCs than at four-year institutions,2 and there is clearly a need for TYC instructors to better support a wide range of STEM students.
Addressing each of the critical issues, plus the current efforts toward diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM, OPTYCs offers a wide variety of programs and is funding some studies. Here is a brief overview of our deliverables:
Continuing Professional Development Workshops (most are virtual, free, and open to everyone; some have been offered at AAPT national...