SEE-CEI-ERA ProjectTowards the integration of the physics community

in CEI countries into the ERA

and

some expirience at University of Nis/Serbia

Goran S. Djordjevic

Department of PhysicsFaculty of Science and Mathematics

University of Nis

SEENET-MTP Office NisCEI – SEENET-MTP – EPSWorkshop on Physics EducationDecember 11-12, 2014, ICTP (Trieste, Italy)

SEE-CEI-ERA Project “Towards the integration of the physics

community in CEI countries into the ERA” (May-Decembar 2014) Consortium: EPS,ICTP, UNESCO Office Venice and

SEENET-MTP, supported by CEI Trieste Bring physicists from ``CEI`` and make Consortia

for successful H2020 applications! http://see-cei-era.seenet-mtp.info

SEE-CEI-ERA CEI support through projects the Physical Society Niš

Central European Initiative (CEI)◦ the largest and oldest regional intergovernmental forum

committed to support European integration through cooperation among its Member States and EU

Physical Society Niš (PSN)◦ the most active local Physical society in Serbia, implemented

several international and national projects mainly in cooperation with the SEENET-MTP Network

Meetings - Workshops “Widening Participation of SEE Countries in the

EU Research Programs”Bucharest, May 25-27, 2014Prof. Radu Constantinescu, Craiova University, Romania

“Promotion of Physics in the CEI Countries and Integrating Access to Research Infrastructures in Europe Here and now”Sofia, November 23-25, 2014 Prof. Ana Proykova, Sofia University, Bulgaria

“Workshop on Physics Education”Trieste, December 10-12, 2014Prof. Joseph Niemela, ICTP Trieste, Italy

Partnership with ESEA

Seven full members are elected and confirmed at EPS ExCom, Mulhouse, June 2013

Composition at the kick-off meeting, held in Vrnjacka banjaSerbia, 28th April, 2013

1. Prof. Goran Djordjevic, Serbia (chair)2. Prof. Ana Proykova, Bulgaria3. Prof. Radu Constantinescu, Romania4. Prof. Maciej Kolwas, Poland5. Prof. Denes Nagy, Hungary6. Guido Martinelli, Italy7. Dr Sofoklis Sotiriou, Greece (absent)

European Physical Society Committee of European Integration EPS-CEI Current composition

SEENET-MTP

SEENET-MTP 12 years of regional story Initiative for the SEENET-MTP NETWORK:

- BW2003 Vrnjacka Banja, Serbia, August 2003-Main supporter: Julius WESS-Main sponsor: UNESCO ROSTE VENICE

Structure Development 2004 - 2012- 22 institutions from 11 countries in the region

joined the Network-13 partner institutions all over the world- about 360 individual members

Physical Society Nis Founded in 1996, was the most regional physical

societies in Serbia Organized national and international seminars for physics

teachers◦ “Modern topics in physics education” was organized annualy◦ Most important: “Trends in Modern topics”, organized as a part of Balkan Summer

Institute (BSI2011) in August 2011 “Science and Society” – international meetings and competitions for

pupils, students and teachers◦ Numerous one-day meetings

Physical Society Nis Founded and organized annual “CITY School of

Physics” since 2006 for pupils of primary school who are interested in physics or prepear for compentitions

Founded and organized annual “Winter Physics Camp” – a week long school of pupils interested in physics

More than hunderd public talks on wide area of topics in popular physics and astronomy with national and international lecturers.

Video conference with CERN organized during BSS2011;Photos from some of the public talks

Grammar School Class for Students With Special Abilities in Physics

Founded in 2003 in Nis, Serbia High school class for students with special abilities in

physics The main goals of the project:◦ to offer a high-quality education◦ to give gifted pupils a perspective for continuing education

in a competitive atmosphere◦ to convey initiative and enthusiasm

Grammar School Class for Students With Special Abilities in Physics

These goals are to be reached by the following measures:◦ focus on the natural science, in particular on physics◦ provision of basic laboratory equipment and PCs (virtual

experiments and Internet access)◦ close collaboration with the University◦ close collaboration with similar projects in EU and Eastern

Europe◦ more intensive foreign languages teaching (especially

English),

General Syllabus 1st grade - 4th grade◦ Serbian (4, 3, 3, 4); English (2, 3, 3, 2)◦ Chemistry (3, 3, 2, 2); Biology (2, 2, 3, 2)◦ Physical Education (2, 2, 2, 2)◦ Mathematics (5, 5, 5, 5)◦ Computer Science (3, 3, 2+30, 2+30) ◦ Practice (+60, +60, +60, +60)◦ Physics courses : (5+60, 5+60, 6+30, 5+30)

(The + sign before the numbers marks the number of practical classes)

1st grade -2th grade◦ History (2, 2), Geography (2, 2)

3th grade◦ Sociology with constitution and civil rights (2), Psychology (2)

4th grade◦ Philosophy (2), Latin (2), Astronomy (2)

The Physics Syllabus 1st grade◦ Elements of mechanics and thermodynamics, 3/w◦ Computational exercises I, 2/w◦ Laboratory exercises I, 60/y

2th grade◦ Electromagnetism and Optics, 3/w◦ Computational exercises II, 2/w◦ Laboratory exercises II, 60/y

3th grade◦ Mechanics with the Theory of relativity, 2/w◦ Atomic and Molecular physics, 2/w◦ Physical Electronics , 2/w

4th grade◦ Modeling in physics, 2/w +30/y◦ The physics of the micro world, 3/w

External Evaluation Metodhology of Evaluation◦ Student achievement on a science knowledge test (taken by 3

groups of students: basic group – students of all grades involved in the Programme, and two control groups – students of Grammar school and students involved in special math classes);◦ Perceptions of students, teachers and school management about

the planned solutions, applied practices and the quality of teaching, as well as the possibilities and limitations of the Programme in the implementation of the curricula; and◦ Content analysis of existing documentation.

Pupils Results The differences in syllabus in physics are so big in the second and third year that

comparison of results is sensible just after the end of the grammar school, i.e. after 4th year.

Let us denote that pupils from the standard class are not able to solve problems (their records in solving problems tend to zero in all three generations).

The “physicists” show slightly better improvement in physics, and continually good records in solving problems.

Very good results at the national competition, in particular in physics and mathematics.

The new class and program “for physicists” has attracted better pupils and that number of pupils is increasing

It can be explained by attractive curricula, a lot of guest lecturers, additional laboratory work, excursions, some support in books and awards

• The first poster for the Class

• The first generation of pupils in front of Faculty of Science and Mathematics

• Pupils at excursion to the “Nikola Tesla” Museum in Belgrade

“Astronomy from an armchair” Student’s project, in cooperation with Faculty of

Science and Mathematics and Astronomical Society “Alfa”

Supported by program „Pokeni se za buducnost“ (PZB) and Philip Morris operations a.d.

The first astronomycal observatory was built for non-professional astronomerers in south Serbia

The observatory is remotely controled and equipped for night-sky and Solar observations.

“Astronomy from an armchair” The crucial part of the project – popularization of

astronomy◦ Osbervations on regular basis for general publics◦ Public talks on interesting topics in astrophysics and

physics◦ Most of talks and some observations were recorded and/or

live streamed over the Internet

Photos: Prof. D. Gajic and youngest astronomers; Saturn recorded during the first online observation; Telescope in the observatory; The solar telescope infront of the observatory