Loyola University Chicago

Department of Physics

AAPT Mission Statement

AAPT Mission Statement on International Involvement

Rationale

Intercommunication among physics teachers around the world can broaden pedagogical horizons and help to avoid insularity. In the increasingly global intellectual community of the world, where communication and travel have become easier, it has become both advantageous and necessary to increase cooperation with other countries in physics teaching.

The American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) has a vital and significant role to play internationally in establishing contacts and cooperative programs with other physics teaching societies. The mission of AAPT in international involvement should reflect international sharing of ideas and experiences in physics education.

Mission

Physics teachers worldwide share similar problems. Each country has developed its own solutions to these problems. Consistent with the national mission of AAPT, the international involvement will include:

a) providing information to AAPT members about physics education worldwide at all levels.

b) publishing information about international conferences, seminars and workshops on physics education at all levels, and, where appropriate, initiate and/or assist in the organization of such activities.

c) arranging for sessions on International Physics Education at AAPT meetings. Assist the Committee on International Education in arranging internationally known physics educators worldwide to present papers at these meetings, and encourage the publication of such papers in an appropriate AAPT journal.

d) facilitating reciprocal invitations for delegations to attend meetings with international groups concerned with physics education worldwide. (e.g., Inter-American conferences, US-China-Japan conferences and the reciprocal US--Danish-Scandinavian conference invitations) Also aid in seeking funding for such reciprocal events.

e) encouraging and assisting in the establishment of relationships with physics teachers worldwide. Encourage assistance to teachers in developing countries through sponsored AAPT memberships and sharing of educational materials.

Gordon P. Ramsey