Teaching Practical Science: Physics from FutureLearn

Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more The course has been designed as CPD for teachers of science subjects for 14-16 year olds. Teachers of physics, early career teachers, returning teachers, non-specialist teachers, technicians and teaching assistants will gain from the peer learning and resources available on this course. Learn from national CPD subject leaders, the experience of other teachers and access high quality supporting resources throughout this course. You can use the hashtag #FLSTEMPractical to talk about this course on social media.

Topics Covered

Practical work for 14-16 year olds in the topics of radiation, waves and electric circuits.
Contextualising practical work in physics to the everyday environment.
How progression in practical work impacts on students’ learning.
Assessment of learning through practical work.
Approaches to teaching practical science that can be applied to other topic areas.

Reviews summary

Practical physics teaching for educators

According to students, this course is a highly valuable professional development experience for science teachers, especially those teaching physics to 14-16 year olds. It offers a strong emphasis on practical work across topics like radiation, waves, and electric circuits. Learners value its guidance on contextualizing activities and assessing hands-on learning. It's particularly beneficial for early career and non-specialist teachers, providing actionable teaching approaches. While foundational, some experienced educators may find sections introductory. Overall, it delivers high-quality content from the National STEM Learning Centre.

Valuable insights into teaching and assessment methods.

"I gained a clearer understanding of how progression in practical work impacts student learning."

"The assessment of learning through practical work section was particularly useful for my practice."

"The approaches presented can be applied broadly, not just to physics."

Excellent for professional development of science teachers.

"As an early career teacher, this course offered essential support and resources."

"It's tailored perfectly for non-specialist teachers and teaching assistants in science."

"The peer learning aspect was helpful for sharing experiences and insights with other educators."

Emphasizes hands-on practical work strategies.

"The course's focus on practical work for 14-16 year olds is very relevant to my classroom needs."

"I appreciated learning how to contextualize physics experiments to everyday life effectively."

"It provided practical strategies for teaching topics like radiation, waves, and electric circuits."

Strong foundation; less for advanced specialists.

"While highly beneficial for new teachers, very experienced physics specialists might find some content introductory."

"The course covered key areas thoroughly, but I would have liked more advanced experimental setups discussed."

"It's a great refresher and solidifies basic teaching strategies, but don't expect deep dives into theoretical physics."

Career center

Learners who complete Teaching Practical Science: Physics will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Teaching Practical Science

Physics

Topics Covered

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Reviews summary

Practical physics teaching for educators

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