Education Workshop

Workshop on Physics Education

28 November 2008

Introduction

In conjunction with the conference, “Particle Physics, Astrophysics and Quantum Field Theory: 75 Years since Solvay” to be held in Singapore, 27 – 29 November 2008, a Workshop on Physics Education will be organized on 28 November 2008 at the Nanyang Executive Centre, Nanyang Technological University. 

The objective of this education workshop is to discuss and explore possible actions to counter the trend of declining student interest in physics and other “hard core” topics in science and engineering.  This is indeed an important issue that will have impact on the future of Singapore’s technological development. The key issues to be addressed by the Workshop include

• Why physics has been steadily losing its appeal to students, and ways to reverse the trend.  (It is noted that the same trend has been observed in other related “hard core” subjects of science and engineering.)
• Teaching of physics in schools and universities — shortage of teachers, training of teachers, improved or alternative teaching methods, application of IT, curriculum development, etc.

Programme Highlights

The morning session of this one-day workshop will be for inspirational lectures by prominent invited speakers on various aspects of physics learning, teaching, etc. Confirmed speakers include

• Prof. Martin Perl, Nobel Laureate, Stanford University, USA
• Prof. Gerard ‘t Hooft, Nobel Laureate, Utrecht University, Netherland
• Prof. Chang Ngee Pong, City University of New York & Nanyang Professor, NTU
• Prof. Lui Pao Chuen, Former Chief Defense Scientist, Singapore
• A/Prof. Sow Chorng Haur, 2008 Outstanding Educator Award Recipient, NUS

The afternoon sessions will focus on discussions on the key issues of the workshop. The early afternoon session will be for presentations and discussion on the issues of “declining student interest” and “revival of student interest”.  The late afternoon will be for presentations and discussion on the issues of “teacher shortage and teaching training”, “teaching methods”, and “curriculum development”.

Final Programme

Who should attend?

The workshop is relevant and should be of interest to the following people.

• Physics and science teachers in secondary schools, junior colleges
• Physics lecturers, and lecturers for related “hard core” science/ engineering topics, from NIE, NTU, NUS
• Officers of the Ministry of Education in charge of physics and science curriculum development
• Officers of other agencies that have a concern on the declining trend of students taking up hard core science/engineering subject.

Registration

All participants of the workshop are required to register and pay a registration fee of S$200. In addition to workshop sessions, the registration fee also covers conference banquet.

All School Teachers who wish to attend the Education Workshop need only pay a special discounted rate of S$50 (banquet not included).

All NIE trainee will be given a special rate of $20 (banquet not included).

To register for workshop, please click On-Line Registration.

Dead line for registration with banquet is 21 November.

Organizing Committee

The workshop is jointly organized by the Institute of Advance Studies, NTU, Institute of Physics, Singapore and the National University of Singapore. The organizing committee consists of the following members.

LIM Hock (Co-Chair), National University of Singapore

FENG Yuan Ping (Co-Chair), National University of Singapore

CHANG Ngee Pong, City University of New York & Nanyang Technological Univesity

CHEW Yong Tian, National University of Singapore

CHUNG Keng Yeow, National University of Singapore

Berthold-Georg ENGLERT, National University of Singapore

FOONG See Kit, Nanyang Technological University

HANG Kim Hoo, NUS High School of Mathematics and Science  

HEW Choy Sin, Nanyang Technological University

Alfred HUAN, Nanyang Technological University

Ashraf KASSIM, National University of Singapore

ONG Kia Siang, Ministry of Education, Singapore  

KWEK Leong Chuan, Nanyang Technological University

SOW Chorng Haur, National University of Singapore

SUBRAMANIAM Ramanathan, Nanyang Technological University

Frank WATT, National University of Singapore

XU Shuyan, Nanyang Technological University