Harvard Project Physics
Encyclopedia
Harvard Project Physics was a national curriculum development project to create a secondary school
physics education
program in the United States
. The project was active from 1962 to 1972, and produced the Project Physics series of texts, which were used in physics classrooms in the 1970s and 1980s. The project was centered at Harvard University
, but drew from schools and educators from across the country. The directors of this project were: F. James Rutherford
, with the Department of Science Education at New York University
; Gerald Holton
, with the Department of Physics, Harvard University; and Fletcher G. Watson, with the Harvard Graduate School of Education
.
during 1971 and 1972. Only minimal changes were made to reflect differences in classroom practices. Many teachers from various Australian states were involved. Major contributors were:
R. Faggotter - Hornsby Girls High School;
I. Guy - School of mathematics and Physics Macquarie University
(SMPMU);
J. Hall - SMPMU;
R. Hewitt - School of Physics, Sydney University;
J. Kirby - SMPMU;
R. McInnes - School of Physics, Sydney University;
B. Price - Santa Sabina College
Strathfield
;
K. Mahony - Homebush Boys High School
;
C. Quninlan - Marist Brothers High School Westmead
.
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
physics education
Physics education
Physics education or physics education research refers both to the methods currently used to teach physics and to an area of pedagogical research that seeks to improve those methods. Historically, physics has been taught at the high school and college level primarily by the lecture method...
program in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The project was active from 1962 to 1972, and produced the Project Physics series of texts, which were used in physics classrooms in the 1970s and 1980s. The project was centered at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, but drew from schools and educators from across the country. The directors of this project were: F. James Rutherford
F. James Rutherford
F. James Rutherford is a science professor. He is the founder of AAAS's Project 2061, a long-term effort to reform Science education in the United States....
, with the Department of Science Education at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
; Gerald Holton
Gerald Holton
Gerald Holton is Mallinckrodt Research Professor of Physics and Research Professor of the History of Science, Emeritus, at Harvard University.Born 1922 in Berlin, he grew up in Vienna before emigrating in 1938...
, with the Department of Physics, Harvard University; and Fletcher G. Watson, with the Harvard Graduate School of Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
The Harvard Graduate School of Education is one of the graduate schools of Harvard University, and is one of the top schools of education in the United States. It was founded in 1920, the same year it invented the Ed.D...
.
Australian adaptation
A regionalization of the original Harvard Physics course was undertaken in New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
during 1971 and 1972. Only minimal changes were made to reflect differences in classroom practices. Many teachers from various Australian states were involved. Major contributors were:
R. Faggotter - Hornsby Girls High School;
I. Guy - School of mathematics and Physics Macquarie University
Macquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
(SMPMU);
J. Hall - SMPMU;
R. Hewitt - School of Physics, Sydney University;
J. Kirby - SMPMU;
R. McInnes - School of Physics, Sydney University;
B. Price - Santa Sabina College
Santa Sabina College
Santa Sabina College, is a Roman Catholic, Dominican, day school for girls K-12 and boys K-4, located in Strathfield, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
Strathfield
Strathfield, New South Wales
Strathfield is an Inner West suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Strathfield is located 14 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the Municipality of Strathfield...
;
K. Mahony - Homebush Boys High School
Homebush Boys High School
Homebush Boys High School, founded in 1936, is a comprehensive public high school for boys. It is located in Homebush, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
;
C. Quninlan - Marist Brothers High School Westmead
Westmead, New South Wales
Westmead is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Westmead is located 26 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Parramatta and is part of the Greater Western Sydney region....
.