Research in Physics Education

Physics education research is an important and impactful field within the physics community and the American Physical Society (APS) strongly endorses the presence of physics education research within departments of physics.

Physics education research explores fundamental and applied questions related to the teaching and learning of physics. It advances our understanding of student learning, leads to more effective classroom practices, develops novel uses of technology and active-learning pedagogies, and addresses the unique needs and demands of physics courses and programs. Research on physics culture, learning environments, and their impacts on students also improves our ability to recruit and retain the next generation of physicists.

Housing physics education research in departments of physics not only accelerates the adoption of effective pedagogical and cultural practices but ensures that research questions develop with explicit and implicit input from the broader physics community. APS encourages the continued integration of physics education research into physics departments, journals, conferences and other physics spaces.

The review process for any statement may be started at any time if deemed necessary by the Panel on Public Affairs, and at least once every five years.