1. Sharing Ideas
Earlier this year when teachers were designing their assessment tasks for the new specifications, Vicphysics held an online in-service, PD on SACs, for which participants were invited to provide an assessment task to share with colleagues as part of the PD. Many also were happy for their tasks to be made available to other teachers, not to be exemplars, but as examples how different teachers were managing the new specifications. This material was put on a google drive and the link provided on request. Many teachers have requested the link.
This generosity was pleasing to see.
Vicphysics would like to extend this invite to other aspects of the course and encourage a culture of sharing ideas and materials.
So if you have:
- found a useful video online,
- designed an effective demo and shot a short video with your phone,
- have another use for dataloggers such as Phyphox or Tracker
- written an assessment task for Units 1 & 2 or Units 3 & 4
- prepared unit plans
- etc
Then please share your idea with others via this Sharing Ideas webpage.
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2. Combined Classes
A number of schools are asking their physics teacher to take Year 11 and Year 12 physics in the one class. This situation has many challenges and often the school does not provide support such as extra class time, reduced duty, etc.
Vicphysics has produced some resources to help such teachers. they are located here.
There have also been zoom sessions in the last two years for teachers to share their experiences and solutions. Vicphysics will organise another Zoom session on Tuesday, 26th November. If you would like to participate, please email Vicphysics.
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3. Vicphysics Travelling Scholarship :Extra option
The last newsletter described two international conferences if you are considering applying for the yearly scholarship worth up to $2000 for a teacher to attend an overseas physics conference.
A Canadian teacher, Joe Muise, who receives our newsletter provided us with information on another one, see below.
If you are interested in applying for a scholarship to attend an event next year, Vicphysics will need to receive your application by Weds, 11th December.
Further details
LIGO's International Physics and Astronomy Workshop,
The 2025 IPA program will be held at the LIGO Hanford Observatory in eastern Washington State, USA om Sunday, July 13 to Saturday, July 19, 2025.
LIGO's International Physics and Astronomy (IPA) program for educators is an exciting one-week intensive program geared towards high school educators from around the world. Based at the LIGO Hanford Observatory, the IPA program offers participants opportunities to discuss with and hear from experts in modern physics and astronomy, tour sites of historic and scientific interest, and test out classroom activities that they can use in their home institutions.
Topics of discussion range from nuclear physics to the emerging fields of gravitational wave and multi-messenger astronomy.
The intent of the IPA program is to promote the teaching of modern physics in high schools by providing teachers with the opportunity to deepen their physics knowledge and fuel their passion for physics in an environment where teachers from around the world can exchange knowledge and experience.
Participants must be able to attend the entire program. Since the IPA program is offered in English, applicants should be fluent in speaking and writing the English language.
Program Cost: The fee for the program is US$300, which is a small fraction of the full program cost. The fee helps cover participant accommodations, meals, and transportation to and from LIGO. Remaining costs are covered by LIGO and other supporters.
Travel Cost: Participants are responsible for arranging and paying for their travel to and from the Tri-Cities Airport in Washington State, including visas if necessary. Please be mindful of your local travel restrictions and requirements. For those flying in for the program, ground transportation to and from the Tri-Cities Airport in Pasco, WA will be provided by LIGO.
Provided by
Further details
4. Hannah Fry Videos: Fusion Technologies and their prospects, Microwave Ovens
Back in edition No 1, term 4, there was an item on the engaging videos by Hannah Fry on
various STEM topics. They are part of two series currently on SBS: 'the Secret Genius of Modern Life' and 'The Future',
Over this weekend SBS aired two programs from these series:
- one on 'Will Nuclear Fusion come soon enough to avoid the Climate Crisis' in which she explores the Tokomak in France and a cylindrical design in California. The size of the Tokomak is very impressive.
- Microwave Oven with emphasis on the cavity magnetron and the Faraday cage. Future episodes are on Headphones and Lifts.
Check SBS on Demand for both or Bloomberg TV for the Fusion video.
a) Swinburne Innovation Challenge: Register your team for program on 20th November.
Places are now available for high ability students in Years 10 to 12 from Government Schools to participate in the latest iteration of the Swinburne Innovation Challenge. In this program, free for Government Schools, students will:
- Form teams of 4-6 and identify a problem they’d like to solve, framed by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It is expected that the teams will be cross-disciplinary, see below.
- Visit the Hawthorn Campus of Swinburne University of Technology
- Extend their learning through hands-on workshops and build key skills in teamwork, ways of thinking, problem solving and communication
- Build a prototype solution for their chosen problem and create a 3-minute video pitch in their teams, to win fabulous prizes for themselves and for their school
The Swinburne Innovation Challenge runs over four weeks utilising a blended model of delivery, commencing with a teacher-led Discovery Phase at school (30 min), followed by the Develop Phase excursion to Swinburne Hawthorn (all day on 20th Nov), and finishing with the student-led Deliver Phase due four weeks later. The program includes 10 - 12 hours of student-led work and requires minimal teacher involvement.
Places are also open to Non-Government Schools for a nominal fee per student. Please inquire for details at schoolprograms@swin.edu.au Download the flyer with details of the three stages. To register interest, click here.
There are prizes to be won, but they are not specified.
The team's interests can include: Engineering, Physics, Applied Computing, Psychology, Product Design, Business Management, Media, Sociology, Legal Studies and Phys Ed.
b) Physics Days at Luna Park: Dates and Cost and Synchrotron Tours
Bookings will open in late December once Luna Park's end of school year activities are over.
The cost next year will be $35 per student with teachers free. I n 2025 Physics Days at Luna Park will be on from Monday, 3rd March to Friday, 7th, March
In the past, Luna Park invoiced the school after the event. Once the actual student numbers are known, they will now require a deposit of 30% to confirm the booking, which must be paid four weeks prior to the event. ou can now seek your school's approval for the activity.
Synchrotron Tours: As an add on and also a benefit to regional schools for whom the trip to Melbourne is a major commitment, the Australian Synchrotron is offering Synchrotron tours at 3pm. Each tour runs for one hour and has a limit of 24 students. The tour is free, with ANSTO covering the cost for two days and Vicphysics the other two days. Tours will be available from Monday to Thursday. Tours can be booked now.
Note: The website, see link below, displays the number of spots still available, so bookings cannot be confirmed until the numbers from that day's bookings are tallied.
An aerobatic display has been requested, but confirmation will not be received until February.
It is expected that the RAAF flight simulators will be back.
Information on the day and worksheets as well as booking for a Tour can be found here
c) Beam Line for Schools (BL4S) 2025: Team Competition with prizes of a trip to CERN
BL4S is a physics competition for high school students from all around the world. It is organised at CERN, the Eur
opean Laboratory for Particle Physics, in Geneva, Switzerland, and DESY, the German Electron Synchrotron, in Hamburg, Germany.
Teams of high school students can propose an experiment that they want to perform at a beamline, that is, a part of a particle accelerator. The teams that submit the three best proposals win a trip to CERN or DESY to perform their experiments at a fully-equipped beamline. There are also additional prizes.
The website has information on previous winners as well as FAQs.
Cost: There are no fees or similar charges; taking part is completely free. For the winning teams, BL4S will cover the full costs of their participation in the competition, including travel, accommodation, and three meals per day.
Teams: The minimum is 5. For the winners, a maximum of nine students and two coaches will be invited. Data transmission and web link-ups will allow additional students to participate and analyse data remotely. Students can be from a single school, from multiple classes, from different schools or even countries. There may be scope for university or Synchrotron staff to advise or be one of the coaches.
Interactive Introductions: 25th Nov (DESY), 29th November (CERN) one hour at 7pm Melbourne Time
Dates: Submit a proposal by 10th April 2025. Decisions will be made in June. Winning teams can negotiate the timing of their visit.
Information and pre-registration here
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a) Out-of-Field PD for Science Teachers: Hamilton (Light and Sound),
The next PD event is:
- Hamilton on Wednesday, 13 November and Tuesday, 19th November, 9:30am to 3:30pm. Morning tea and lunch provided. Light and Sound at Monivae College
Check here for details for this event and to book
Costs: Hamilton ($220 per participant). Discounts are available for teachers from Government schools and for teachers from schools with a low ICSEA rank. CRT coverage is also available for teachers from Government schools.
b) AIP Congress 2024: Teachers' Day, Weds, 4th December, Melbourne Convention Centre: Small number of Free Tickets
The Australian Institute of Physics Congress will be held from December 2-5 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. The program on Wednesday, 4 December, will focus on education.
Sessions of interest to teachers include:
Tuesday Public Lecture 7pm. What you shouldn't know about Quantum Physics
Presenter: A/Prof Chris Ferrie. He is at the University of Technology Sydney, where he researches and lec
tures on quantum physics, computation, and engineering. He is the co-founder of Eigensystems, a quantum computing start-up with a mission to democratise access to quantum computing through education. As the #1 best-selling science author for kids, he has written over fifty children’s books about science and a few for adults. You can find Chris online at csferrie.com.
(No registration is required; this is a public lecture).
Venue: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
Date: Wednesday, December 4
Normal one day Cost: $130, which includes lunch and morning tea
To register: AIP Congress 2024 website
Free Tickets:
Teacher rates are available for four-day, two-day, and single-day registrations. Monash University School of Physics and Astronomy is sponsoring a limited number of one-day registrations for teachers. Please contact Anna.Phillips@monash.edu for further information.
Wednesday will have a focus on education.
8-9am: Education Breakfast (additional registration required) Artificial Intelligence in Physics Education
9:45am: Plenary by Prof Manjula Sharma Declining physics student numbers: Can we reverse the trend? Prof Sharma is Professor of Science Education at the University of Sydney and Director of the STEM Teacher Enrichment Academy.
11am-12:30pm Focus Session - Bridging High School and Tertiary Physics will bring together secondary and tertiary educators with lightning talks and table discussions on laboratory learning and university-secondary outreach programs in physics
2:30pm-4:00pm: Education presentations: Education Across Settings. A series of invited and contributed talks will look at effective approaches to physics teaching and physics education across settings.
5-6pm: Education presentations: Effective Approaches to Teaching
Thursday
3-4pm: Education presentations: Labs and Hands on Learning
c) Talk, Dinner and Catching Up: Space Weather. 6:30pm, Wednesday, December 11, at the Hawthorn Hotel and online
To celebrate the end of the year, there will be a networking event on Wednesday, December 11th, at the Hawthorn Hotel on Burwood Rd.As part of the evening, Paul Butler will speak on Space Weather: Auroras and Solar Maxima.
Paul's talk will also be available online. Your science colleagues will also find his talk of value.
The cost to attend in person is $40 ($35 for Vicphysics members), which includes food and drinks.
Registration: to book a seat or request online access, click here. The abstract is also available online.
For a copy of this flyer click here
Speaker: Paul has been teaching VCE and IB Physics for many years. He is actively involved in radio astronomy using his own radio telescope at home and through online radio telescopes around the world. Paul was recently elected as a Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers Director and Board member.
d) PHYSCON 2025 - Making a Quantum Leap: Registration open
Vicphysics Teachers’ Network Inc is excited to announce that “PHYSCON 2025 – Making a Quantum Leap,” a hybrid conference for all teachers of Physics, will be taking place on Friday, 21 February online and at Swinburne University of Technology’s Hawthorn Campus with the support of the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
2025 is the international “Year of Quantum,” and we are very fortunate to have Professor Nicolas Menicucci from RMIT give the keynote address at the conference. He is an outstanding communicator who is leading the Australian national campaign to raise awareness of the ubiquity and importance of quantum phenomena and the opportunities that quantum technologies present for those with physics knowledge and skills.
The other keynote speaker is Prof Manjula Sharma from the University of Sydney. Prof Sharma is a professor of Science Education and is active in STEM and teacher enrichment. She will speak on 'Curiosity, inquiry and emotional engagement.'
Program features:
- Inspiring keynote speakers: quantum physicist, Prof Nick Menicucci and physics education expert, Prof Manjula Sharma, see details above.
- Four sessions encompassing more than 40 workshops relevant to secondary Physics teaching and learning, many livestreamed and available post event on demand,
- Presentations by the VCE Physics Chief Assessor and the VCAA Science Curriculum Manager,
- Includes networking opportunities, exhibitors, cutting-edge laboratory tours and Saturday excursions.
Flyer Program
To check out the Conference fees and to Register click here Early bird discounts before 18th Dec
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There are two schools seeking a physics teacher.
The Job Ads page on Vicphysics website is updated every weekend. The webpage also has a link on how schools can register a position and lodge a payment for this service.
- Mount Erin Secondary College (closes 11th November)
- Thornbury High School (Closes 21st November)
- Canterbury Girls Secondary College (closes 17th November)
- Collingwood College (closes 15th November)
- Patterson River Secondary College (closes 14th November)
i) Vicphysics Membership and Access to the Teachers' Resources on the website.
Vicphysics has changed its membership structure, benefits and fees. Previously, a subscription to the website resources was separate from being a member of Vicphysics. Access to website resources is now being included as one of a number of member benefits.
Membership benefits include:
- access to teacher resources section of the website
- discounts to attend conferences, in-services, etc,
- certification for attending each PD event,
- PL certificate for committee meetings supplied at the end of the calendar year and
- voting rights.
Membership fees are: Individual: $60, Retired: $40, Student (tertiary): $40, School: $120.
Vicphysics also offers a Resources Access Only option without the discounts and other benefits listed above. The fees for this option are the same as above.
Existing subscribers currently receive discounts, which will cease when their subscription expires. At that point, subscribers will need to choose between the two options above for continued access to the Teacher resources.
We are looking forward to increasing the membership base of Vicphysics and to fostering member input into our extensive range of activities from Physics teaching professional learning such as our recent SAC PD events or the Physics Teachers Conference to supporting activities for students, such as the Luna Park Physics Days or photo and poster competitions.
You can join us here!
ii) Vicphysics Forum: Tips and Questions for the Physics Teaching Community
The Vicphysics Teachers’ Network has set up an online Forum for teachers to raise issues, seek ideas, offer suggestions, etc.
Link here directly, or look out for it on our webpage where it can be found at the top right of our home page.
We hope it will be an opportunity for mutual professional development.
The forum is open to all teachers. If you are a subscriber, you can log in the usual way. If you are not a subscriber, you can register to use the forum at ‘My Account’. Given the purposes of this Forum, we ask that you use your real name when generating a topic or lodging a post.
We hope this Forum will become a valuable medium for exchanging ideas as we begin planning the new study design.
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Items selected from the bulletin of the Institute of Physics (UK).
Each item below includes the introductory paragraphs and a web link to the rest of the article.
a) Physicists propose new solution to the neutron lifetime puzzle
Neutrons inside the atomic nucleus are incredibly stable, but free neutrons decay within 15 minutes – give or take a few seconds. The reason we don’t know this figure more precisely is that the two main techniques used to measure it produce conflicting results. This so-called neutron lifetime problem has perplexed scientists for decades, but now physicists at TU Wien in Austria have come up with a possible explanation. The difference in lifetimes, they say, could stem from the neutron being in not-yet-discovered excited states that have different lifetimes as well as different energies.
b) How to boost the sustainability of solar cells
A podcast explore routes to more sustainable solar energy. The speakers are four researchers at the UK’s University of Oxford who have co-authored the “Roadmap on established and emerging photovoltaics for sustainable energy conversion”.
They are the chemist Robert Hoye; the physicists Nakita Noel and Pascal Kaienburg; and the materials scientist Sebastian Bonilla. They define what sustainability means in the context of photovoltaics and they look at the challenges and opportunities for making sustainable solar cells using silicon, perovskites, organic semiconductors and other materials.
c) Timber! Japan launches world’s first wooden satellite into space
Researchers in Japan have launched the world’s first wooden satellite to test the feasibility of using timber in space. Dubbed LignoSat2, the small “cubesat” was developed by Kyoto University and the logging firm Sumitomo Forestry. It was launched on 4 November to the International Space Station (ISS) from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
Given the lack of water and oxygen in space, wood is potentially more durable in orbit than it is on Earth where it can rot or burn. This makes it an attractive and sustainable alternative to metals such as aluminium that can create aluminium oxide particles during re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere.
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