Institute of Education London

Stimulating Physics: an evaluation

Overview

To evaluate the effort being made by the Institute of Physics to increase participation in physics at A-level and Higher Education.

Demand Strand:

• Interventions for Teachers: CPD for non-specialist teachers, CPD in careers and Girls into Physics.
• Interventions for Students: Industrial visits, Careers simulation events, Girls into Physics events, On-line networking

Access Strand:

• Teacher Fellowships
• Repackaged degree course
• New degree courses (I-Sciences)

Methods

Schools

• Quantitative: Student attitude questionnaires and teacher questionnaires regarding interventions and exam entries in physics administered to 30 participating schools and 14 control schools.
• Qualitative: classroom observation, focus groups in schools, observations of interventions, interviews with participants and IOP and external intervention providers.

Universities

• Quantitative: Recruitment to new courses, questionnaires for students.
• Qualitative: Focus groups with students, survey of sixth formers. Interviews with Teacher Fellows, their mentors and widening participation officers.