Register for our newly launched Teacher Forum

We are excited to announce the launch of the IOP Teacher Forum, giving participants the opportunity to inform the work of the Institute, working in partnership with the IOP’s education department. This will ensure that the work of the IOP remains relevant to and beneficial to all teachers of physics. Registrations are welcome from all teachers of physics at any stage of their career, located across the UK and Ireland. Teacher Forum members will be given the opportunity to preview and contribute to the development of innovative new projects. Upcoming projects include:

Spaced Learning

We are exploring the potential for this methodology with Download Learning to boost teaching physics to students and teacher CPD. Download applies the neuroscience of long-term memory formation to digital learning and in so doing improving speed of learning, knowledge acquisition, retention and application. To date, it has primarily been used in organisational training (NHS, Police, Apple, Bupa), but we have agreed to run a pre-pilot to test out teacher and student reaction with a view to running a full pilot. We’ll develop a student-focused module to deliver the cognitive input for atomic structure and nuclear for 14-16’s and seek teachers to trial the module in their schools and give initial feedback.

Lesson Toolkits

The Best Evidence Science Teaching (BEST) team at the University of York have developed excellent research-informed teaching resources. The Lesson Toolkits project aims to bring together BEST’s sequencing of topics, accompanying diagnostic questions and IOP activities to give teachers a full package of resources needed to teach a given topic. Initially we will be developing lessons for 11-14’s, starting with an exemplar topic of Seasons. We are looking for feedback around usability, possible improvements and what topics should be prioritised.