The main goal of this article is to introduce physics education research (PER) to researchers in other fields. Topics include discussion of differences between science education research (SER) and physics education research (PER), physics educators, research design and methodology in physics education research and current research traditions and…

It is estimated that this academic year, for the first time, the majority of first-year doctoral students in physics are foreign, with one-fifth of foreign students in physics from China alone. At Pennsylvania State University, all six physics doctoral students are foreign, and much effort is spent to help the students function in an American…

This document reports on a 1995 survey of students graduating with a bachelor's degree in physics or astronomy as part of an ongoing series of surveys that have been conducted by the American Institute of Physics (AIP) since the 1960s. The data obtained on the 1995 class build upon established trends in students' immediate postbaccalaureate plans…

In fall 2002, the American Institute of Physics asked the 735 physics departments, the 34 combined physics and astronomy departments, and the 37 separate astronomy departments in the United States to provide information on both their current student enrollments and the degrees they conferred in the previous academic year. Data were received from…

This article examines the historical and current program at the Lavrentiev Physics-Mathematics Boarding School, a special school for highly gifted students in Novosibirsk, Russia. It notes that the declining prestige of mathematicians and physicists in Russia (compared to business-related careers) suggests the school may not continue to produce as…

This report presents the results of a fall 1999 survey of U.S. colleges and universities that offer doctoral, master's, and bachelor's degrees in physics and astronomy, focusing on degree production and current student enrollment. Highlighted are the following: (1) after four years of significant declines, physics bachelor's degrees conferred in…

Discusses the current roles of information technology (IT) in formal education and characterizes emerging trends in the field. Identifies specific uses of computers in physics education and lists representative programs. (ML)

This report presents the results of a fall 1997 survey of U.S. colleges and universities that offer doctoral, master's, and bachelor's degrees in physics and astronomy, focusing on degree production and current student enrollment. Highlighted are the following: (1) although enrollments in physics degree programs have been declining, the number of…

This report presents the results of a 1994-95 survey of U.S. colleges and universities offering doctorate, masters, and bachelors degrees in physics and astronomy, focusing on degree production and current student enrollment. It found that over the last 3 years, first-year graduate physics enrollments have declined 22 percent at doctorate-granting…

In response to the President's Office of Science and Technology Policy request to identify promising areas for U.S. research investment in science and technology, this report contains briefings by outstanding researchers in several fields of science. This volume is the fifth in a series of briefings which are used to anticipate important new…

This report presents the results of a 1995-96 survey of U.S. colleges and universities offering doctoral, master's, and bachelor's degrees in physics and astronomy, focusing on degree production and current student enrollment. The survey found that first-year graduate student enrollments for 1996-97 declined by 2.5 percent from the previous year.…

An analysis of trends in Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores looks at SAT verbal and mathematics averages by racial group and gender, reports racial group percentages of examinees by state, and charts relationships between ethnic group, parental education, family income, student years of postsecondary study, and scores. (MSE)

Province-wide results from the Diploma Examinations Program of the Alberta (Canada) schools are presented for the three examinations of the entire 1991-92 school year (January, June, and August). The annual report also provides summaries of results by gender, for population subgroups, and for achievement-over-time studies. School marks,…

Forces inhibiting change in Greek university education are examined, and trends in university curriculum development are analyzed, using four disciplines as examples: chemical engineering; physics; economics; and history. The extent of influence of government populism and state patronage on the university curriculum is explored. (MSE)