Details regarding the Workgroup Discussion Webinar Topics

 Full details shall be updated by LOC once received.

[i] ICT and Multimedia in Teacher Education (Initial and Further PD).  Leaders: Peter Demkanin, Ton Ellermeijer, Lars-Jochen Thoms

Teaching physics with the use of digital technologies as well as teaching key concepts of digital technologies are major challenges for physics teachers and thus important topics. In our working group we will discuss different approaches to teachers training. First, we will shortly talk about how digital technologies can improve teaching of physics and what needs to be added or changed to the physics curriculum. Furthermore, we will discuss which competencies does a physics teacher need to be able to use digital technologies in a meaningful way in physics lessons. Then we will address the question which activities are needed and effective in teacher education programs so student-teachers or in-service teachers will acquire these competencies. And finally we will look for ways we can ‘test’ these competencies.

"You are very welcome to join our Working group!"

[ii] Experiments and lab work in teacher education. Leaders: Ian Bearden, Leoš Dvorák, Gorazd Planinšič

Today we have numerous evidence that students/pupils learn very little, if anything, from traditional cookbook labs or by observing demonstration experiments. How to better use experiments to help students learn? Several ideas have been proposed and tested during last decade, ranging from small alterations of existing approaches to new approaches that grew from theoretical frameworks. Join our WG and tell us what worked for you.

Are you preparing future teachers or in-service physics teachers?  Does your program address the issues stated above and prepare teachers for using new approaches?  Join our WG and share your experience with us.

[iii] Quantum Mechanics in Teaching and learning physics. Leaders: Sergej Faletic, Marisa Michelini, Gesche Pospiech

The working group on Quantum Mechanics in Teaching and Learning Physics has as its goal to foster research on teacher education in quantum physics. Contributions (flash presentations (5-10 minutes) are welcome that refer to teachers’ needs and teacher education:

• Which topics in quantum physics should teachers learn during their university courses?
•  How can teachers be supported to discuss quantum physics in class depending on the approach chosen?
• How should teachers pedagogical content knowledge in quantum physics be developed at university?”
•  Which educational goals, content, methodological tools, learning difficulties of students etc, do they learn at university?
• Which educational tools (digital as well as for distance learning) should teachers make experiences with?
• How should teachers be educated to shape their lessons?

On the basis of the contributions addressing these topics the discussions will proceed to treat interesting issues and to define research questions to be followed in the future. The result will be a position paper on the current status reflecting the contents of the WG.

[iv] Formal, non-formal and informal aspects physics education at primary level.  Leaders: Mojca Cepic, Marco Gilberti, Dagmara Sokolowska

To be updated

[v] Strategies for pre-service physics teacher education at all levels.  Leaders: Digna Couso, Claudio Fazio, Zuzana Jeskova

Pre-service physics teacher education has a key role in preparing future physics teachers to effectively support student learning and interest development alike. In order to do that, pre-service teachers must possess, among other things, a profound teaching-oriented content knowledge (a “Pedagogical Content Knowledge”, according to Shulman model (1986)) and good motivational orientations. However, many more issues are related to pre-service physics teacher education, and the Working Group on “Strategies for pre-service physics teacher education at all levels” aims at fostering a discussion about that, calling for contributions (flash presentations, 5-10 minutes) for the Webinar on the following topics:

• What is an adequate format for pre-service physics teacher education? Taking into account the different pre-service education systems worldwide:
• How are different routes to achieve the degree to become a professional teacher compared? (Academic degree in physics subjects, then pre-service teachereducation vs. Academic degree in physics and physics education)
• How can we achieve a balance between subject-matter oriented courses (physics education, science education, didactics, pedagogical content knowledge, …) and general education courses?
• How is the practicum incorporated in pre-service physics teacher education? (Observing lessons conducted by experienced teacher, creating lesson plans, teaching lessons, classroom management)
• What are common /main problems of primary school pre-service physics teacher education? What are common / main problems of secondary school pre-service physics teacher education?
• What can we do about the shortage of teachers, lack of students enrolling in teacher education programs, etc? How to promote interest in physics teacher education programmes?
•  What sort of content structure should be the base of a XXI century pre-service physics teacher education?
• What are the basic ideas /concepts /models of physics pedagogical content knowledge for pre-service teachers?
• How can physics content knowledge learnt at University be reconstructed for effective teaching?
• How can we integrate classic, modern, real-life physics in an already full curriculum?
• What teaching and learning strategies can be thought for pre-service physics teacher education?
• What are main activities to be included in a pre-service physics teacher education course?
• What role should pre-service teachers/students have in a physics teacher education course?
• What is the role of “Active Learning” in pre-service physics teacher education?
• What is the role of experimental/ laboratory and modelling activities in pre-service physics teacher education?
•  How should teacher education use and promote digital competence to enhance both face-to-face and online teaching?
• What are the effective strategies to develop digital competences of pre-service physics teachers? (mastering digital tools, video, digital images, hardware and software for measuring, modeling, simulations, learning management systems, etc.)
•  What are the challenges in pre-service physics teacher education programmes for implementing the methods and strategies needed for online teaching (distance learning)?

The contributions addressing these topics will trigger the discussions on relevant, emerging issues and will help to define questions for possible research to be performed. A paper on the current status of research reflecting the discussions will be the WG result.

[vi] In-service teacher professional learning strategies.  Leaders: Eilish McLoughlin, Wim Peeters, David Sands, Jenaro Guisasola  

The first part of the discussions will focus on the context and approaches adopted as elaborated in the following main questions:

• How is in-service teacher professional learning/development organised in countries all over the world? (e.g. career planning of the teacher, incentives for teachers to attend in-service learning activities, influence of unions, statutory/legal obligations, financial support, in-service providers, … )
• What are the barriers to effective in-service teacher professional learning/development?
• What does research tell us about effective strategies for in-service teacher professional learning/development of teachers/physics teachers?

• What general strategies of in-service learning are currently being used in different countries? (What does in-service teacher education look like? What is the purpose of in-service teacher education?
• What criteria are been used to measure the impact of in-service professional learning of physics teachers? What does research tell us about this?
• What examples of practice exist that demonstrate high-quality in-service learning of teachers/physics teachers?
• What aspects of in-service learning of physics teachers are different from other disciplines? In which ways do these aspects have an impact on in-service learning processes of physics teachers?
• What are the effective strategies to develop digital competences of in-service physics teachers? (mastering digital tools, video, digital images, hardware and software for measuring, modeling, simulations, learning management systems, etc.)
• What are the challenges in in-service physics teacher professional learning/development for implementing strategies needed for online teaching (distance learning)?

In order to have a more complete view of your interests we ask all participants to send your own research questions to the WG leaders (before 25th of September). This will help WG leaders to facilitate a fruitful discussion during the Webinar and enable the preparation of a position paper on the current status of research as presented during the webinar.

Process for Workgroup Discussions:

For the 2020 GIREP webinar we have prioritised that this event should encourage active participation from each attendee: a model that we have recently experienced in other webinars successfully. For this work the coordination of the WGs is important and will be coordinated by the trio: Marisa Michelini, Dagmara Sokolowska and Eilish McLoughlin.

Each Workgroup (WG) will be led by three WG leaders acting in the roles of Chair, Rapporteur and Discussant during the webinar. During the webinar each WG will have two sessions: the first session (S1) is dedicated to flash presentations (5-10 minutes) of selected contributions; the second session (S2) will discuss important issues relevant to the WG topics. At the end of the webinar, each WG is expected to prepare a position paper on the WG topic. To support this task, we propose that the WG leaders will prepare a discussion grid (DG) based on questions, organized in a hierarchical way. The questions should include the main research issues and the progress of the topic with reference to pre-service and in-service physics teacher education. This DG will serve as reference for preparing the position paper of the WG.

The timeline for further details to be added on the process for WG discussions is:

• WG leaders will prepare a short description of their topic which will help participants to decide which topic they choose to submit their contribution to, deadline 14th August.
•  WG leaders will prepare a short list of issues for the discussion grid (DG), deadline 10th September.

We will make regular updates to this webpage on the WG details and process in advance of the Webinar starting on 16th November and please let the organisers know if you have any queries we can assist you with.