Shaping the Future

This collection of five booklets about post-16 physics was published by the Institute of Physics post-16 Initiative during 1999-2000. Much of the content remains relevant.

Though the booklets were primarily designed to promote debate and ideas about the way forward for physics education in schools and colleges, they have also proved to be useful for Initial Teacher Training and the Continuing Professional Development of teachers.

Each booklet is an edited collection of articles, with many contributors. All of them conclude with recommendations for specific stakeholders, for example, government and its agencies, exam boards (awarding organisations), education researchers, teacher training providers and, of course, teachers and curriculum managers.

[b]The titles[/b]
1 Making Physics Connect
2 Physics in Mathematical Mood
3 Physics in Vocational Courses
4 The Study of Matter
5 Revitalising Physics Education

1 Making Physics Connect – getting physics to connect with the concerns of the learner and with other human activities and areas of knowledge.

2 Physics in Mathematical Mood – how physics can be taught in an appropriately
mathematical way and how the beauty and power of mathematical reasoning can be conveyed to students.

3 Physics in Vocational Courses – the role of physics in ‘general vocational’ and ‘vocational’ learning pathways.

4 The Study of Matter – what and how future scientists and engineers can be taught about different states of matter.

5 Revitalising Physics Education – a broad view of physics as a subject, exploring the kinds of research and partnerships needed to take post-16 physics forward.