Department of Physics annual report 2000 - Fysiikan laitos - Helsinki.fi

an essential element of post-graduate
Adult Education
pants have already gained the Master of
education.
Science degree. The e-mail list of the
In 2000 14 post-graduate students
Great attention is given to the direc-
DFCL programme is continued as a
took the degree of Doctor of Philoso-
tives and plans of the controlling bod-
free-form network seminar to support
phy. Lists of the students who complet-
ies in the university and of national
these studies. A new DFCL programme
ed their Lic.Phil and PhD theses in
education programs. There is growing
for 2000-2001 has been continued by
2000 in the Department are given in
emphasis on explaining the functions
50 participants. More detailed informa-
the Appendix.
and roles of physics in our society to
tion can be found in the URL http://
In the period 1996-00 the median
schools, sixth forms and colleges to
didactical.physics.helsinki.fi/dfcl/.
of the age distribution of the graduat-
ensure good student orientation prior
During several decades the De-
ing doctors in the Department was
to application for admission.
partment has arranged a week’s sup-
31.3 years, less by one year than the
The extended degree programme in
plementary education fulfilling the
median 32.7 years in the period 1991-
adult education has continued in 2000.
requirements of the employment crite-
95. The effort to shorten the time
The supplementary-education pro-
ria for teachers at lower and upper
needed to accomplish a doctor’s degree
grammes, DFCL, in didactical physics
secondary schools. This is noteworthy
by increasing monitoring of student
successfully completed by more than
even nationwide. During the last few
progress will still continue.
200 physics teachers has formed an
years a large number of teachers from
In order to support and promote
important part of the national develop-
the present colleges of advanced edu-
doctoral education the new “research
ment effort “Finnish mathematical and
cation have participated in these
28
education program” has been continued
in the Department. A maximum of
natural science awareness 2002”. According
to the responses of the partici-
courses. Mainly teachers from the
Physics Department have been the
20 undergraduate students with a doc-
pants the new practices of modern proc-
educators. The popularity of the course
toral perspective are chosen annually.
essual teaching and perceptional exper-
shows that such education is needed
The total number of students in this
imentality have become everyday prac-
and the procedure will be continued
program exceeds now 100. First PhD’s
tice in many of their schools. Several of
with an annually changing topic. In
are expected in 2001.
the study groups continue their activity
2000 Environmental Physics was the
The nationwide researcher educa-
as local centres of development. About
theme of the course and it was attend-
tion programs (Graduate School, GS
100 participants have decided to con-
ed by 58 teachers (42 of them being
programs), which commenced at the
tinue their studies and research in di-
women) from lower and upper second-
beginning of 1995, form an effective
dactical physics for a higher degree,
ary schools, institutes of technology
platform for realizing post-graduate
and by now more than 20 of the partici-
and polytechnics.
education. The Department is along in
four nationwide programs: Materials
physics GS (eight persons), Particle
and nuclear physics GS (four persons),
Mathematics, physics and chemistry
teachers GS (two persons), and Graduate
School in Astronomy and Space
Physics (one person).
The progress of the studies and
research work of post-graduate students
were encouraged by employing
the most successful students in research
groups, assistantships which
have become vacant and allowing them
to work as locums.