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Classroom Physics March 2010 Edition

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Classroom Physics March 2010 Edition ClassroomThe newsletter for affiliated schools physicsMarch 2010 Issue 12 Institute unleashes new resources to empower teachers of physics Engaging>chi^ijiZd[E]nh^Xh with Girls – an action pack for teachers >chi^ijiZd[E]nh^Xh This brand-new resource is now available for anyone:c\V\^c\l^i]<^gah interested in encouraging more girls >cXgZVh^c\i]ZeVgi^X^eVi^dcd[\^gah^ce]nh^Xh :c\V\^c\l^i]<^gah to ÄVcVXi^dceVX`[dgiZVX]Zghcontinue with physics post-16. Whether >cXgZVh^c\i]ZeVgi^X^eVi^dcd[\^gah^ce]nh^Xh you are working in a mixed or all-girls ÄVcVXi^dceVX`[dgiZVX]Zgh setting, you will find this an invaluable pack, both for immediate classroom ideas and for contemplating larger changes in your teaching or department. It is intended to help teachers directly and you should be able to pick it up and get going with some of the ideas very quickly. In 2006, Girls in the Physics Classroom – A,+EdgiaVcYEaVXZ!AdcYdcL&7&CI Review of the Research on the IZa ))%'%,),%)-%%;Vm ))%'%,),%)-)- :"bV^aZYjXVi^dc5^de#dg\ Participationlll#^de#dg\ of Girls in Physics and A Teachers’>chi^ijiZd[E]nh^Xh'%&% Guide for Action were published. EZgb^hh^dcidjhZ!XdenVcYY^hig^WjiZi]^heVX`^h\gVciZY[dgeg^kViZ!cdc"XdbbZgX^VaVcYZYjXVi^dcVaejgedhZhdcan!egdk^YZYi]Vii]Z VWdkZXdeng^\]icdi^XZVeeZVghl^i]i]Z[daadl^c\cdi^XZ/I]^heVX`bVnWZgZeg^ciZYVcYY^hig^WjiZY[dgcdc"XdbbZgX^VaVcYZYjXVi^dcVa ejgedhZhdcan!VcYcdi[dggZhVaZ#CdgZhVaZdgjhZbVnWZbVYZd[i]^heVX`!dgVcneVgid[^iViVcni^bZ#6aadi]Zgg^\]ihgZhZgkZY#Ad\dh TheseVcYigVYZcVbZhVgZ^cXajYZYl^i]i]ZeZgb^hh^dcd[i]Z^gdlcZgh# publications have been widely used byEjWa^h]ZYWni]Z>chi^ijiZd[E]nh^Xh teachers and others to help to inform I]^heVX`^hejWa^h]ZYWni]Z>chi^ijiZd[E]nh^Xhi]ZÆ>chi^ijiZÇ#L]^ahigZVhdcVWaZZ[[dgih]VkZWZZcbVYZidZchjgZi]Vii]ZXdciZcid[ i]ZeVX`^hVXXjgViZi]ZeVX`^hegdk^YZY[dg^c[dgbVi^dcdcan#I]Z>chi^ijiZYdZhcdi\jVgVciZZi]ZVXXjgVXnd[i]ZXdciZcid[i]^heVX` VcYgZhZgkZhi]Zg^\]iidVaiZg^ihXdciZciViVcni^bZl^i]djieg^dgcdi^XZ#I]Z>chi^ijiZ^hcdigZhedch^WaZ[dgVcni]^gYeVginlZWh^iZhdg changebViZg^VahgZ[ZgZcXZY^ci]^heVX`#I]Z>chi^ijiZYdZhcdiVXXZeiVcna^VW^a^inl]VihdZkZg[dgVcnbViiZghl]^X]bVnVg^hZVhVgZhjaid[Zggdgh! in schools and classroom practice ^cVXXjgVX^Zhdgdb^hh^dchXdciV^cZY^ci]^heVX`VcY\^kZcdlVggVci^Zh!Z^i]ZgZmegZhhdg^bea^ZY!gZ\VgY^c\i]ZVkV^aVW^a^in!hj^iVW^a^indg hV[Zind[Vcni]^c\YZhXg^WZY^ci]^heVX`#EVgi^X^eVi^dc^cVcnVXi^k^i^Zhh]VaaWZZci^gZanViVc^cY^k^YjVaÉhdlcg^h`#6c^cY^k^YjVaÉhhiVijidgn andg^\]ihVhVXdchjbZgVgZcdiV[[ZXiZY# organisation, with benefits for all students in their care. In particular, they were used by teachers in the Girls into Left: the action pack focuses on practical, relevant physics teaching. Right: the workshop aims to Physics Action Research project, run by help teachers to work together to provide timely, accurate and consistent physics-careers information. the National Network of Science Learning Centres, and the Stimulating Physics pilot. Exploring Physics, Uncovering Choice Connexions personal advisers. The Engaging with Girls action pack Do you want to know where to find the most The workshop pack includes: clear contains a suite of resources to complement accurate sources of physics-based careers instructions on how to lead the workshop the previous two publications. The guide information for your students? Would you along with a CD of presentation slides; a to action research is a practical resource like to see more cross-departmental working number of activities that enable workshop for teachers interested in understanding within your school between science teachers attendees to explore and share knowledge and removing the barriers to girls in physics and career co-ordinators? We can help! of physics-based careers (these activities through a practice-based inquiry process. It Exploring Physics, Uncovering Choice, a can also be used in the classroom with is intended for teachers who may be trying brand-new workshop pack of activities and students); and the tools to start developing out action research for the first time. up-to-date information, is written by CRAC, an action plan for the whole school. The The other resources offer more direct the careers development organisation, and action plan is to ensure that careers suggestions to help teachers to ensure that developed by the Institute of Physics. It awareness becomes an integral part of all students are in tune with the relevance aims to encourage staff to work together in a student’s education and to decide on of physics – encouraging use of varied and providing a consistent approach to careers each person’s role within the school. It is relevant contexts, using appropriate role advice and guidance in their school. It will expected that the workshop will take around models, and making sure all know of the also help teachers to build on their own 90 minutes and it will be most effective with exciting opportunities that a good grounding knowledge of physics-based careers, to help at least five members of staff from at least in physics can lead to. students to make informed choices based two departments. on accurate information. We suggest that For more information: to order a pack or the workshop should be run by an interested For more information: contact Manchi to find out more about the Institute’s work teacher as a way of contributing to the Chung (e-mail [email protected]). To in this area, visit www.iop.org/education professional development of colleagues, to order the free workshop pack, contact the or contact Clare Thomson (e-mail clare. bring together personal tutors, year heads, Institute’s education department (e-mail [email protected]). subject teachers, career co-ordinators and [email protected]). Classroom physics is published by IOP Publishing, Dirac House, Temple Back, Bristol BS1 6BE, UK. © 2010 The Institute of Physics. The Institute of Physics, 76 Portland Place, London W1B 1NT, UK. Tel 020 7470 4800. The contents of this newsletter do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the Institute of Physics, except where explicitly stated. Classroomphysics l March 2010 1 News Editorial Welcome to the spring issue of Classroom Physics. If you are an affiliated school you should have also received a copy of our education brochure for 2010 – The Classroom and Beyond – as well as a copy of our 2009 Schools and Colleges Lecture DVD, Exploring the Universe. You will also have a copy of our latest careers resource, a booklet called Experience, and some other reminders of online resources that the Institute and others have developed to support your teaching. ‘Experience’ completes the Our front page features two new resource packs developed by the Institute, which we hope will become Institute’s new career series well used. The first is our action pack Included with this issue of Classroom career publications for the 11–19 age group. to help teachers in their efforts to Physics is the new careers booklet for Additional resources to help integrate the increase the participation of girls in 16–19-year-olds: Experience – physics at use of this series into lessons are available physics. The second pack is a careers university. This new booklet is for students at www.iop.org/careers. workshop that any teacher can use to considering physics at degree level, and it run a CPD session in their school to help includes careers information and advice on For more information: To order more to promote a better understanding of choosing a physics course and a university. copies of the Experience booklet or any careers both in and from physics. If you Along with the Explore postcard and the of the other careers publications, e-mail would like a copy of either pack, get in Expand leaflet, this completes the new set of [email protected]. touch (e-mail [email protected]). Other important Institute initiatives include the extension of membership to Science Additional Specialism Programme helps the 16–19 age group, which is outlined to enhance teachers’ physics-specialism skills here on p2, and our new community website talkphysics.org. You can find The Science Additional Specialism On completing and passing the out more details about this significant Programme (SASP) will soon be rolling in to programme teachers will be awarded with development on p3. We hope that you its second year. It is designed for teachers a graduate certificate in physics worth will register and find out what the site without a physics or chemistry degree or 60 H-level credits and they will be eligible for has to offer, both in terms of help and a secondary initial teacher training (ITT) a £5000 bursary. advice as well as useful resources. There specialism in physics or chemistry. It is is also news of a recently published intended to develop participants’ subject For more information: To find the nearest report on navigating higher-education and pedagogical knowledge, and to help centre offering this programme, visit the TDA requirements in the STEM subjects, with them to teach physics or chemistry to site at www.tda.gov.uk/teachers/ details of how to download the report learners aged 11–19 with more confidence, continuingprofessionaldevelopment/ and the advice to students. expertise and enthusiasm. science_cpd.aspx. With this edition is a letter about the new Institute Education Forum, put in place since the demise of the Education Institute offer Group. We hope that this forum will provide a vehicle for those members and affiliated schools who would like to targets 16–19s engage with and support the work of the The Institute is now offering free Education department. membership to young people aged between Our teaching tips offer advice on the 16 and 19 who are studying physics.
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