Session 10

Gender and Physics: The Research and Challenges

Achieving gender equity is a long-standing challenge in physics. Despite much improvement in physics pedagogy over the last twenty years, females still make up a small proportion of physics students. In this workshop, Chris will share with you the latest results and insights from physics education research and his own teaching.

Biography

Chris Meyer completed a Specialist Degree in Physics at the University of Toronto, but didn’t really get this physics stuff until he began teaching. From his experiences “teaching” physics at A. Y. Jackson (North York), the Ontario Science Centre, Rosedale Heights (Toronto) and now York Mills C. I. (North York) he realized the teaching techniques he was raised with were not adequate. After attending a lecture by Edward Redish at the University of Toronto, and becoming acquainted with Physics Education Research, things began to change. Now Chris gives presentations across southern Ontario encouraging teachers to stop teaching and start helping their students to learn.