International Commission on Physics Education (ICPE) Newsletter, Issue 40

This is the October 2000 issue of the International Newsletter on Physics Education (ICPE). It announces the ICPE Medal awarded to Paul J. Black for his global contributions to physics education and previews the 2001 ICPE Conference in Korea on teaching physics in cultural contexts. Reports include the Malvern seminar on “Securing the Future of Physics,” EU initiatives on science teacher education, and the Colloquium on Attainment in Physics at 16+. Highlights feature multimedia in teaching, introducing smart materials in school science, and ICT-based teacher training through Net-Seminars. Other articles cover strategies for improving instruction, astronomy education, simple physics demonstrations, and the 13th International Young Physicists’ Tournament in Budapest.