Maximizing the Benefits of Physics Education Research: Building Productive Relationships and Promoting Institutional Change
1/1/2005
APS Forum on Education Fall Newsletter
Our group had the task of identifying how those of us in Physics Education Research (PER) might best cultivate productive relationships with other physics faculty members. Prior to the conference, the group leaders identified two objectives related to this topic: (1) Gaining respect for PER as a serious research area that belongs in physics departments; (2) Getting results of PER known and used by physics faculty. To help with this task members of the PER community were invited to complete a web survey prior to the conference. The full results of this survey are described elsewhere.1 Based on the web survey and discussion within the working group, there appears to be agreement within the PER community that both of the above objectives are important goals for the PER community. The working group saw these areas as strongly connected, with one reinforcing the other.