Physics Education at the Plovdiv University

Zhelyazka Raykova, Asocc.Prof., PhD

Dean of Physics Faculty

ICTP, Trieste

Plovdiv, Bulgaria

29.1.2015 г. ICTP, Trieste

Plovdiv

• One of the oldest city in the world

• The cultural EU capital for 2019

• The center of Balkan peninsula

• Tourist attraction

• University and Culture center in Bulgaria

29.1.2015 г. ICTP, Trieste

29.1.2015 г. ICTP, Trieste

- Leading cultural, educational andscientific institution.

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29.1.2015 г. ICTP, Trieste

Plovdiv University www.uni-plovdiv.bg

- The biggest University in SouthBulgaria

- The second biggest University in Bulgaria

has 9 departments

29.1.2015 г. ICTP, Trieste

Plovdiv University

more than 40 different majors in various scientific and practical fields:

- humanitarian- social

- economic

more than 14 000 students enrolled

29.1.2015 г. ICTP, Trieste

Faculty of Physics

29.1.2015 г. ICTP, Trieste

Theoretical Physics

Physics Education

ECIT

Optics and Atom Physics

Experimental Physics

Research interests

• Modern trends in educational technology

• IBSE

• Constructivist approach

• Initial teacher training

• Problem solving in Physics Education

• Forming experimental skills

• National Curriculum (ES, 1999,2013)

29.1.2015 г. ICTP, Trieste

• http://www.helsinki.fi/luma/eutrain/• Period :2005-2008• Program: Comenius 2.1• Partners: Finland, Poland, Estonia, Bulgaria• Results:- guideline for unified initial training of science teachers in participating countries was made. - common, flexible curriculum for periods of teaching practice was elaborated in partner countries. - students’ mobility was organized as a tool to find the best practices and to identify common needs of trainees and trainers of the participating countries

29.1.2015 г. ICTP, Trieste

Improving Quality of Science Teacher Training in European Cooperation

• http://www.iqst.upol.cz/project/articles.php• Period: 2006-2009• Program: Comenius 2.1• Partners: Czech Republic, Cyprus, Lithuania, Bulgaria,

Turkey• Results:• designed 5 new modules for science teacher training

with implementation of European dimension• introduced new pedagogical methods based on

constructivist approach in science teacher training;• designed teaching and learning materials for science

teaching at initial teacher training;

29.1.2015 г. ICTP, Trieste

• Web-site: http://cat.upatras.gr• Period: 2008-2011 • Program: LLP • Partners: Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Finland,

France, Greece• Target groups: teachers, trainee teachers,

university lecturers• Topic: Information technology, Technology,

Education

29.1.2015 г. ICTP, Trieste

CAT - The effective use of computer aided teaching and learning materials in science teaching – a teacher training course with a European perspective

• Results: • modules for a teacher-training course were

designed and tested;• How teachers: - to judge the quality of computer aided learning environments in science teaching (module 1), - adapt the best-practice examples of those environments to their own teaching (module 2), - to evaluate the learning of students and to improve the own teaching (module 3)• 2 courses for EU teachers wеre held using the

elaborated program and the book (Patra, Lyon)

29.1.2015 г. ICTP, Trieste

Chain Reaction: A Sustainable approach to Inquiry Based Science Education

http://www.chreact.eu/• Period: 2013-2016• Program: FP7• Partners:

– SHU, UK– UNINA, Italy– UMB, Slovakia– TEDU, Turkey– PU, Bulgaria– CIFOP, France– UL, Slovenia– PHHD, Germany– UOC, Greece– UOL, Ireland– JSSR, Jordan– ISU, Georgia

29.1.2015 г. ICTP, Trieste

• Aims:- to develop Inquiry Based Science Education (IBSE)

across twelve partner countries. - to provide IBSE professional development to

science teacher from each participating country using tried and tested inquiry based science resources.

- students (14-16 age) groups to work together on research scientific scenarios. Their work present at national student celebration events.

29.1.2015 г. ICTP, Trieste

• Three international conferences follow the national conferences and show case the work of selected school students from each partner country.

• The project also provides a strong and sustainable IBSE framework both for teacher educators and for teachers, along with resources tailored to each partner's individual cultural and curricular needs.

29.1.2015 г. ICTP, Trieste

SALiS:Students Active Learning in Science

• http://www.salislab.org/Program: TEMPUSPeriod: 2010-2012Partners:• Ilia University, Georgia• University of Haifa, Israel• Institute of Educational Sciences ,Moldova• University of Bremen, Germany• Free University of Berlin, Germany• University of Limerick, Ireland• Plovdiv University, Bulgaria

29.1.2015 г. ICTP, Trieste

Results:

• Courses and teaching tools are conducted by every participating countries;

• Teaching technology for laboratory work

was prepared.

29.1.2015 г. ICTP, Trieste

29.1.2015 г. ICTP, Trieste