Physics learning and teaching in Australian universities

Abstract

A comprehensive study of undergraduate physics learning and teaching in Australia reveals physics departments being challenged within a rapidly changing tertiary environment, where both funding per student and the physics share of the expanding tertiary market have been in decline for decades. Departments have responded in a variety of ways: developing new courses, introducing novel technologies and large- and small-scale restructuring of curricula. This study investigated current teaching methods and learning outcomes, and the role of multidisciplinary and service teaching, which is vital to the health of most departments, be they a physics department or another discipline in science. The main results of the study and some future directions are presented here.