Students and staff

Department of Physics Teachers' Club

These are informal get-togethers in a relaxed atmosphere for the members of the Department of Physics and now the wider community as well.

We meet to learn about news, practice and theory on educational issues, especially new developments in university physics education, to share experiences and to meet each other. 

The club has been running since 2019, and takes place 1–2 times per semester. Initially, only people from the Department of Physics gathered, but now we also invite to join interested people from other faculties and universities.

The topics of the Physics Department Teachers' Club are based on issues that we raise on a daily basis or that one of us suggests. 

The content of the sessions has been as follows:

  • A theoretical overview of the different teaching methods used in university science lectures.
  • Eliciting students' knowledge and understanding during the lecture:
    • Questions for voting.
    • Discussions on the peer instruction concept test.
  • Worksheets in physics courses, examples of worksheets from our lecturers.
  • Tallinn University of Technology lecturer education system and content. 
  • Data on testing of students in mechanics courses and results of our and other Latvian university groups.
  • Overview of student interviews. Student feedback on lecture work, what learning styles our students like, etc.
  • Entrance to future education (EFE) project.
  • Research parts of laboratory work.
  • Review of the "Excellence Award" for Latvian physics teachers.
  • Theoretical overview of distance learning – time allocation, methods, tests, experience of teachers from other countries.
  • Overview of the physics department's distance work – tutors, exchange of experience, Teams solutions.
  • Remote working experience:
    • Lecture work.
    • Technical solutions.
    • Student responses and discussions with the lecturer during and between lectures.
    • Laboratory work – organisation, data processing, defence.
  • Organising Forms in Teams meetings and some short tricks for working with ppt presentations.
  • Student-centred activities in Physics I, II and III.
  • Laboratory work for general physics courses in science faculties.
  • Student centred approach and methods in university science courses. A concise tour of definitions and examples.
  • Good tests – how to measure what we want to measure? (You can watch the video of the lecturer Ģirts Zāģeris here)
  • About the experience of being in the shoes of students at the State University of New York at Buffalo by Rudīte Kokas, Associate Professor at RSU.

For more information please contact: ilva.cinite@lu.lv.