Research

Physics education research (PER) is broadly concerned with understanding the ways that students learn physics and the pedagogies that help them learn more effectively.  PER can range from ‘pure’, for example theoretical models of physics learning, through to ‘applied’, for example developing and evaluating specific teaching strategies and interventions.  Nevertheless, one of the overarching aims of PER is to promote and encourage a scientific approach to physics and science teaching and learning that is informed by evidence-based research.

 

Our research interests include novice and expert approaches to problem solving, gender differences in conceptual understanding and attainment, the use of student-generated content, peer instruction and flipped classroom pedagogies, the school-university transition, development and evaluation of diagnostic tests for conceptual understanding, strategies for embedding evidence-based reforms more widely and the use of technology to enhance physics education. While our research is firmly rooted in physics, many of our projects include cross-disciplinary elements, giving us additional insights into teaching and learning in both our own and in cognate disciplines.

 

For more information about our research, see Recent projects and Recent publications (links to the left).

 

For an introduction to physics education reseach, together with an extensive collection of resources for researchers and educators, news, upcoming events and information on PER groups worldwide, see PER-Central.