' P H Y S I C S A N D E D U C A T I O N ' F O C U S
The teaching of science, and of Physics in particular, remains a major issue in an increasingly technological world where there is a lack of scientists, both in business and in basic research. Teaching young people and motivating them to take up studies in the sciences is still an educational challenge of the utmost importance.
Teaching and especially learning Physics are difficult tasks, not only due to the abstract nature of the subject, but also since the difficulties are inherent in the conceptual nature of Physics.
Y O U R O B J E C T I V E S
- To learn about teaching Physics - the notion of preliminary, or spontaneous, approaches will be omnipresent, since it is one of the discipline’s founding elements. A main objective of the education focus is to teach Physics better.
- To carry out experiments, the second basic element in the teaching of experimental sciences, selecting the most appropriate experiments to present based on the preliminary approaches of the students – those which will encourage reflection and critical thinking skills.
R E S E A R C H A N D T H E S I S
The following are two examples of subjects for a thesis:
The teaching and learning of the notion of electrical potential. What is the background behind this concept? When and why was it introduced? What makes it difficult to learn? How can we identify these difficulties? What are the different ways we can teach this subject and how can we teach it better?
Video clips for presenting experiments in Physics. Is this method always effective? How can we design video clips to aid understanding and thus aid learning?
