Australia currently has an acknowledged shortage of physics trained high school teachers, leading to many teachers teaching out of area. In 2018 I introduced a graduate certificate in Physics for Science Teachers to help science teachers learn physics and become qualified to teach it.

The degree consists of four courses taken sequentially, PHYS9110: Everyday Physics for Teachers,

I have been working to continually improve problem solving workshops since I took over as first year director. I saw students required motivation to participate, with low attendances and lecturers doing all the work in classes. I based my approach to encourage students to more actively participate on the evidence which shows students benefit from active learning [1].

Laboratories are a very important part of first year physics. Physics is an experimental science, the laboratories show students that what they are learning about in lectures applies in the real world, they also give them the skills in analyzing data and calculating uncertainties. I have designed our lab exercises to develop these skills but also to reinforce the areas of the course that