C.14 Commission on Physics Education (1960)
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Officers 1987_80: Chairman E.L. Jossem, USA
Vice_Chairman : G. Marx, Hungary
Secretary: J. Barojas, Mexico
Members:
G. Bialkowski, Poland (†1989) P.J. Black, U.K S Chandrasekhar, India
S. de Souza Barros, Brazil AM. Elashhar, Libya K Hirata Japan
D.K Nachtigall, FRG L Samuelsson, Sweden A. Tiberghien, France
Kai_hua Zhao, China
Liaison Member Raither , S. W., France
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Activities
The period 1987-1990 has seen increased interest
and activity in a number of aspects of physics education. In particular
there has been a world wide concern with curricula at all levels,
a burgeoning of research in physics education and in the application
of the results of such research to teaching practice, a rapid
expansion of the use of computers in physics instruction, both
as laboratory instruments and as instructional tools, and an increase
in the networking of teachers and organizations interested in
physics education. The potential shortage of students in physics
in many countries has also engaged the attention of the Commission
Listed below are the conferences sponsored by the
Commission and a brief account of its other activities.
1. Conferences
International Conference On Low Cost Experiments
And Demonstrations In Physics Education,
Cairo University, Giza, Egypt, 10-16 April 1987
The topics of this conference are well described
by its title and are of interest throughout the international
physics education community. Plenary lectures provided background
material for the conference, but the principal thrust was in the
"hands-on" workshops and in the exchange of ideas, experimental
techniques, and experiences among the conference participants.
Proceedings of the conference have been published and information
on their availability may be obtained from the Department of Physics,
Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
International Conference on "Chaos
in Education An International Workshop on Teaching Non-linear
Phenomena at Universities and Schools"
Balaton, Hungary, 27
April - 2 May 1987..
Recent advances in the understanding of non_linear
phenomena have made this complex subject much more susceptible
to discussion at undergraduate and secondary school levels. The
conference reviewed these advances and explored ways of introducing
them in to the secondary school and college curricula. Proceedings
of the conference have been published and information on their
availability may be ob tained
from Prof. G. Marx, Department of Atomic Physics, Roland Eotvos
University, Puskin u. 5, H_1088 Budapest, Hungary.
Inter _American Conference on Physics Education.
Oaxtepec, Mexico, 17_24
July 1987.
This conference was sponsored jointly by C14 and
by C13. Its primary objective was to assist in the creation and
development of international networks of individuals, organizations
and agencies for the improvement of physics education. Twelve
working groups of participants, each concerned with a different
aspect of the conference, constituted the core of the conference
and produced reports and recommendation, which are included in
the conference proceedings. The proceedings, entitled "Cooperative
Networks in Physics Education", have been published for the
conference by the American Institute of Physics 1988, ISBN_0_88318_373_0.
International Conference "Teaching
Modern Physics -- Condensed Matter". University
of Munich, Munich, FRG, 12_16 September 1988.
This conference followed the general plan of its
predecessors at CERN and Fermi Lab (see Report for 1984_1987)
in its intention to bring together, in working sessions, scientists
at the forefront of research and those active in teaching to discuss
how recent developments in the field could be incorporated into
secondary school and undergraduate curricula. In this case, however,
the topics for discussion were drawn from the field of condensed
matter physics. The volume of the proceedings of this conference
was published by World Scientific Publishing Company 1989, ISBN
_9971_50_060_1.
International Conference on Energy Alternatives/Risk
Education. Balaton, Hungary,
7_13 September 1989.
The conference considered ways of presenting technical
realities associated with the benefits and risks of modern technology,
and of educating students to the concepts of risk and rational
decision making. The proceedings of the conference were published
in March 1990. Further information and copies of the proceedings
may be obtained from Professor G. Marx, Department of Atomic Physics,
Roland Eotvos U niversity, Puskin u. 5, H_1088, Budapest, Hungary.
International Conference on Physics Education
through Experiments. Nankai University,
Tianjin, P. R.China., 23_27April 1990.
This conference, a joint activity of IUPAP and ASPEN,
had as its purpose the exploration of ideas and the exchange of
information concerning the uses of experimental physics in the
education of students. The Proceedings will be published in 1990.
Further information on its availability may be obtained from Professor
Pan Weiji Dept. of Physics, Nankai University, Tianjin P.R. China
2.The Newsletter of the International Commission
on Physics Education
The Commission wishes to express its deep appreciation
and gratitude to Peter J. Kennedy, who served as Editor of the
Newsletter during 1985_1987, and edited Issues Number 14 (May
1985), 15 (October 1986) and 16 (October 1987), doing an excellent
job during a period of great fiscal uncertainty for the Newsletter.
On Dr. Kennedy's retirement the position of Editor
was assumed by professor George Marx, who has edited Issues Number
17 (December 1988), 18 (March 1989), 19 (September 1989) and 20
(March 1990). Issue Number 21 is scheduled for September 1990,
and the hope is to continue with two issues per year.
3. Other Activities
Work has been initiated on a number of publication
projects. These include an International Journal of Selected Reprints
in Physics Education, a Directory of Journals in Physics Education,
and a Reader on Research in Physics Education and Teacher Training.
E. L. Jossem, Chairman C14
J. Barojas, Secretary C14
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last updated 7/25/96