EDUCATION OF FUTURE PHYSICS TEACHERS IN UNIVERSITY OF LATVIA

Inese Dudareva Department of Physics, University of Latvia

2nd Meeting of HOPE Working Group 4 Improvements in the Training and Supply of Physics School Teachers

Riga, 2015

Education system of Latvia

• Basic education – begins at 6 or 7 years age and lasts a total nine years.

• General upper secondary education: 16 – 19 years old students and lasts three years after basic education.

• Secondary vocational education: 16 – 20 years old students and lasts four years after basic education.

• Higher education ….

Some statistics 2014/2015

• General education schools: 824• The number of students: 209 686• The number of students per 10 000

population: 1 056• Vocational schools: 63• The number of students: 29 855• The number of students per 10 000

population: 150Sorce: Centrālā statistikas pārvalde

Some statistics 2014/2015

• The number of teachers in general education schools: 23 038– In basic education: 7 547– In general upper secondary education: 4 954– Other in adult evening classes, – vocational schools …

Sorce: Centrālā statistikas pārvalde

• Physics teachers: about 800

Physic subject in the school

• Two last years in basic education level (2 h per week every year)

• Three years of general upper secondary level – physic as separate subject or science (3 + 3 + 2 h per week)

• Students can choose at the end of general upper secondary level centralized exam in physics

Exams

Source: VISC

Chosen subject`s exams

Source: VISC

Physics teachers education in University of Latvia

• Teacher of Natural Sciences and Information Technology– Faculty of Chemistry– Bachelor Study Programme– 4 years (240 ECTS)– Professional Bachelor's degree in natural sciences and

information technology and the teacher's qualification of two subjects

– Two subjects teacher: biology, chemistry, physics, information technology, geography and science teachers in any combination

Physics teachers education in University of Latvia

• Teacher– Faculty of Education, Psychology and Art– Master Study Programme– 2 or 2,5 years (120 ECTS)– Professional Master`s degree in education and

qualification of physics teacher– Secondary education physics teacher

Physics teachers education in University of Latvia

• Teacher– Faculty of Education, Psychology and Art– Professional Study Programme– 1,5 or 2 years (80 – 100 ECTS)– Qualification of physics teacher– Secondary education physics teacher

The number of students 2015/2016

Teacher of physics + second subject in the group of 25 … 30 students

1st year 62nd year 23rd year 44th year 1

Study Programme: Teacher of Natural Sciences and Information Technology

The number of students 2015/2016

Teachers of Physics in the group of 30

students

Teachers of Physics in the group of 25

studentsMaster level study

programmeProfessional study

programme1st year 0 02nd year 3 0

Study Programme “Teacher”

Study organization in Physics and Mathematics Faculty

• Study Programme: Teacher of Natural Sciences and Information Technology– General physics (teacher students together with

physicists )– Physics didactic courses

• Study Programme: Teacher– Physics didactic courses

• Practice at School

Additional activities

• Young Physicists school– Lessons for school students (theoretical and

practical)• Researchers Night (introduces the community

with scientists works)• Developing tasks for physics' Olympiad

Who teach physics?

• Physics teachers with relevant education (bachelor degree, masters degree, professional qualification)

• Students studying physics (not only the pedagogy, but physics or engineering)

• Other subject teachers (math, IT, geography, …)