Teaching-Learning Contemporary Physics: From Research to Practice (Challenges in Physics Education)

This book presents research contributions focussing on the introduction of contemporary physics topics – mainly, but not exclusively, quantum physics – into high school currciula. Despite the important advances and discoveries in quantum physics and relativity which have revolutionized our views of nature and our everyday lives, the presence of these topics in high school physics education is still lacking.  In this book physics education researchers report on the teaching and learning of quantum physics from different perspectives and discuss the design and use of different pedagogical approaches and educational pathways. There is still much debate as to what content is appropriate at high school level as well what pedagogical approaches and strategies should be adopted to support student learning. Currently there is a greater focus on how to teach modern physics at the high school level rather than classical physics. However, teachers still lack experience and availability of appropriate teaching and learning materials to support the coherent integration of Quantum Physics in high school curricula. All of the 19 papers presented in this book discuss innovative approaches for enhancing physics education in schools.

Beata JAROSIEVITZ first obtained an MSc degree in physics and a univ. doctor degree in Nuclear Techniques, later earning her Ph.D. in Education Sciences and MSc degree in Computing. She has taught computing and informatics to high school students and physics to college undergraduates as a college professor. She has thrice received the “Teacher Researcher” award from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences for her educational research work. Besides her involvement in a number of international teaching-research projects, she has represented Hungary in GIREP since 2000. She was the chair of the GIREP2019 Conference held in Budapest 1-5 July 2019.

Csaba SÜKÖSD earned a degree in nuclear physics in 1971, followed by a Ph.D. in experimental nuclear physics. Aside from his scientific research work in that field, he has also worked in physics education. As a university professor, he has been involved in training of physics teachers. He has organized and led the countrywide “Leo Szilárd Physics Competition” for more than 20 years and spearheaded the upgrade program of Hungarian physics teachers in CERN for ten years. He was co-chairing the GIREP2019 Conference.