Physics Didactics and Physics Education Research: From Education to Classroom Practice

by Marcelo Hahn (CFisUC)

Wednesday 13 May 2026, 14:00 → 15:00 Portugal

Sala de Conferências (Departamento de Física FCTUC)

Physics Education Research (PER) is a specialized field concerned with how people learn physics and how physics can be taught more effectively. It draws on physics, education, psychology, cognitive science, and other areas that help explain learning and teaching in different contexts. Its goal is not to discover new physical laws, but to produce research-based knowledge about physics teaching and learning.
PER can be understood as a systematic and evidence-based study of physics education. It examines what students understand, the difficulties they face, how they reason about physical concepts, and how different teaching approaches influence their learning. Although some studies use controlled experiments, PER also includes many other research approaches that are better suited to the complexity of educational settings. These include quasi-experimental studies, case studies, design-based research, research & development (R&D), and action research.
As in other areas of research, PER can be organized into several specific themes. These include students’ difficulties and misconceptions, conceptual understanding, problem solving, laboratory work, the use of simulations and other digital tools, the development of instructional strategies, and the design and validation of assessment instruments.
Traditional lecture-based instruction can sometimes help students become proficient at solving standard quantitative problems. However, this procedural proficiency does not always mean that students have developed a strong conceptual understanding of physics. It also does not necessarily mean that students feel motivated or able to connect physics with real situations. PER studies these issues and uses evidence to improve physics teaching at different educational levels.
In this talk, I will discuss some of the work carried out in this area and explain why PER is important for physics teaching and learning. I will approach this mainly from the perspective of physics didactics, with particular attention to initial teacher education and continuing professional development for lower- and upper-secondary teachers, while also considering its relevance at the university level.