What is Teaching: Definition and 369 Discussions

Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, morals, beliefs, and habits. Educational methods include teaching, training, storytelling, discussion and directed research. Education frequently takes place under the guidance of educators, however learners can also educate themselves. Education can take place in formal or informal settings and any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts may be considered educational. The methodology of teaching is called pedagogy.
Formal education is commonly divided formally into such stages as preschool or kindergarten, primary school, secondary school and then college, university, or apprenticeship.
There are movements for education reforms, such as for improving quality and efficiency of education towards applicable relevance in the students' lives and efficient problem solving in modern or future society at large or for evidence-based education methodologies. A right to education has been recognized by some governments and the United Nations. Global initiatives aim at achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 4, which promotes quality education for all. In most regions, education is compulsory up to a certain age.

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  1. U

    History of teaching on blackboard

    I read that chalkboard is invented only in the 19 century, so how teacher before that explained pupils math and grammar with just oral instruction? It seems impossible that people need 1000 years to figure out that teaching with board is much more effective. Something must be wrong with this...
  2. yucheng

    Style of teaching/learning mathematics: by proofs of theorems only?

    I remember there was a method of learning/teaching mathematics where all they do in class is to force students to prove the theorems themselves. What was this method again? It was named after someone.... @fresh_42 ?
  3. C

    Student Course Review for my 12 y/o ESL science student in Japan

    I taught him about 3 times in the previous month.The student is a bit intellectually handicapped and ESL. He is in junior high school student so he is about 12 years old. From my principal in this tiny school (has only two students now used to have a few more) Good evening! How are you...
  4. robertphy

    Foundations Books and websites about manipulatives in mathematics?

    Do you know about books and websites about manipulatives in mathematics teaching for secondary schools? I think manipulatives are incredibly useful in teaching Mathematics. Thank you for your support.
  5. hugo_faurand

    Looking for advice on motors for a small windmill (for kids)

    Hello everyone ! I speak about energy to a fifth grade class. I want to build small windmills made of paper cup for the blades. The goal is to light a LED when the windmill is running. I was looking for a small motor to do the alternator. I found this one and I wanted to know if it could fit...
  6. robertphy

    Interactive lessons using PhET Sims and quizzes

    Hi, I want to write some interactive Physics lessons, where students can engage with Phet Simulations and then answer some quizzes to test their thinking along the way. Any of you did that, or similar? Please, let me know if anything is unclear. I sincerely hope you can have a great time...
  7. haushofer

    Thinking about quitting teaching

    Dear all, after my PhD (fundamental physics) I started teaching. First math at a university, and after that physics at a high school (14-18 yrs, pre-university college). I love to teach and to communicate science in general, but I feel that an aversion towards education is growing since the...
  8. Astronuc

    Teaching the quadratic equation and the roots

    https://www.technologyreview.com/2019/12/06/131673/a-new-way-to-make-quadratic-equations-easy/ An interesting article about solving ax2 + bx + c = 0 = (x-R)(x-S), where R and S are the roots. ## x = \frac{-b ± \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a} ## In my classes, we were never 'spoon fed' any formula, but...
  9. robertphy

    Make a test based on online available exercises (looking for websites)

    Hi, a teacher and I have been looking for websites to take Math/Physics exercises from, put them together as a test, print it and pass it to students. I know there are many websites that give you tools to write your own exercises (mainly many LMSes). But we'd like to pick exercises already...
  10. C

    How to lower one's expectation in teaching college algebra

    Dear Everybody, I am about to teach my first course, College Algebra at my university as an instructor of record. Most of the students take this course is just for liberal arts requirement for critical thinking. I feel like I have too high expectation of my students when I should not have too...
  11. Darrencc

    B New here -- Question about mass (I am teaching 11 year olds)

    Hello, I am teaching eleven year olds about gravity. There is no issue about this subject, however I would like someone to help with a model answer. As mass never changes. What is the best answer when I am asked that if someone gets 'fatter', do they not put on mass? Thanks in advance.
  12. gleem

    Approaches for teaching Modern Physics in Grade School and University

    [Mentor Note -- thread spun off from a thread in the Advisor forums] Both Feynman and Einstein have famous quotes about explaining physics concepts to those not well schooled in physics.(freshman undergrad and a six year old respectively). Yet both hedged a bit on this: Einstein Things should...
  13. Orodruin

    A Teaching SR without simultaneity

    This thread, some earlier ones, and my signature got me thinking a bit about whether it would be a good idea to de-emphasize simultaneity when teaching SR since it is a frame dependent concept. I did not do much thinking myself yet but would like to hear people’s opinions and thoughts on how...
  14. hagopbul

    Job Skills Question about my teaching certificates and teaching in other countries

    Hello All ; i hope all are fine and well , i have teaching certificate from american university of Beirut(special education) and have a teaching diploma from a public University in Syria . other than my physics degree if i travel to other parts of the world do i need to have another teaching...
  15. Parkour

    Self teaching Calculus for physics?

    Summary:: I want to teach myself physics and was wondering if Thomas' Calculus is a good book to learn the Calculus I need to learn introductory physics. Hi, I am following a guide by Susan Rigetti (https://www.susanrigetti.com/physics) which aims to help and give sort of structured learning...
  16. S

    B Is this way of teaching the quadratic solutions really anything new?

    https://getpocket.com/explore/item/mathematician-finds-easier-way-to-solve-quadratic-equations This seems to just be the quadratic formula in a transposed way. :rolleyes:
  17. A

    Teaching approximation techniques in basic courses

    Not sure how universal it is, but my experience through half of my undergrad education gave me the impression that 90% physics was about exactly solvable problems. Off the top of my head, the only approximation we ever did in introductory courses was the binomial expansion to get the electric...
  18. M

    Math High school teaching before PhD

    Is it a bad idea for me to get a master's in secondary education and teach high school (math) for a few years before I do a PhD? My main goal is to teach college. However, I've missed all the PhD application deadlines this year and figured I might as well pick up the HS teaching degree as a...
  19. A

    Finding a good descriptive model of the electric circuit (for 8th graders)

    Since this quesstion popped up in this thread I thought it might be better to create a new thread: https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/a-question-about-an-electrons-movement-in-a-dc-circuit.997736/ The question is the following: What kind of descriptive model could/should one use while first...
  20. T

    Books on teaching and education

    Hello there. My questions are: do you know of any books you could suggest reading for teaching and how to educate? How someone can change his teaching styles and what to add to improve students' attention, interest and make them study on their own? Should he speak generally to all the students...
  21. F

    Teaching about electromagnetic radiation & struggling

    Summary:: I teach high school (grade 12) and have always struggled with teaching about electromagnetic radiation. I'm looking for resources aimed at laypeople about EMR that may give me some ideas on how to teach it more clearly. I teach high school (grade 12). We have just finished a unit...
  22. Demystifier

    I Teaching Bohmian QM before standard QM

    In many physics curricula, some elements of the so called "old" (Bohr-Sommerfeld) QM are taught before teaching the actual QM. The pedagogic value of such teaching may be doubtful, but for someone without prior knowledge of QM, the old QM is more intuitive than the actual QM. That's because the...
  23. L

    Teaching Thermodynamics with minimal math

    Thermodynamics is an interesting subject but all too often students think of it as solving math problems. And indeed most of the problem solving involves calculations which can be quite in-depth, requiring knowledge of calculus. I have been looking for ways to deliver thermodynamics principles...
  24. R

    Teaching science (high school and seniors) post coronavirus

    With social distancing likely to be still important for the foreseeable future, some schools are planning how to manage this in the new school year when students return. I spoke to one school manager this week who suggests students will work 'shifts' - in this case one week in school, one week...
  25. ohwilleke

    A Record Setting Thirteen Hour Graduate Level Physics Lecture

    The Amplitudes 2020 Conference (on the physics of calculating probability amplitudes in quantum mechanics) was to be held in Michigan this year. But, this year, the conference was cancelled, for obvious reasons, and held via Zoom for Zoomplitudes 2020 instead. Physics blogger 4gravitons explains...
  26. diegzumillo

    I Self teaching analysis and topology

    Hi, I am a physicist interested in going through a basic analysis course. The real line, open sets, that whole thing. On my own, so I need a good selection of bibliography, ranging from those that are good references but too dense to actually read to those that are very pedagogical but tend to...
  27. Terrakron

    Teaching Chemistry labs and demonstrations online now -- Suggestions Please

    Summary:: How to do chemistry labs and demonstrations for online education. I am teaching two lab sessions one on general chemistry, one on organic chemistry. Now th we are going “online” I need a lot of help. Do you have videos showing labs?
  28. vela

    Quickly Transitioning to Teaching Online Due to COVID-19

    There's a good chance that the spread of the COVID-19 virus will cause colleges and universities to suspend on-ground class meetings. I know that UC Berkeley and UCLA have already done so to some degree, and the schools I teach at have suggested instructors prepare the possibility by getting...
  29. J

    Quantum Books teaching maths more advanced than what is used in quantum physics

    Hello friends. I was thinking that if you study physics, you learn first the basic math to understand it, but you don't go beyond, or deeper, you just learn the minimum math necessary to understand what you are going to see in your physics leassons. For example, if you are going to learn...
  30. F

    Physics Phd Teaching Engineering

    Hello, Does anyone know if a Phd in physics can teach engineering courses at a university? Or do you need to have an engineering degree? Thanks you!
  31. Dopplershift

    Other Entering a PhD Physics Program While Teaching High School?

    Hello, I am currently a high school physics teacher in Chicago. I am thinking about going back to school to get a PHD in Physics. I currently have a B.S. in Applied Physics and a secondary education license. I would like to find a way to go back and get a PHD. I cannot afford to quit my job...
  32. O

    Teaching Forces - Having issues with directions & vectors

    Hi everyone. I'm the only physics teacher at my school, so I have nobody to bounce ideas off of. I'm having a problem with students getting confused with direction when calculating net force. I teach an introductory physics course. It's the first time the students have ever seen physics and...
  33. S

    Help learning physics through games?

    Summary: Anyone know any games that legitimately help when trying to understand basic concepts of physics? So I've been into studying physics for a while now but i feel like my attention span is holding me back. Almost nothing sticks. I always end up getting bored and playing video games or...
  34. W

    Teaching Physics to Young People: Challenges & Opportunities

    starting next winter term, I will be voluntarily invovled in a new project teaching basic physics to young people from around the world (e.g. refugees or people wanting to study natural sciences in Europe). Ideally, the students will receive some basic understanding of physics through my course...
  35. nmsurobert

    Teaching high school AP physics

    Hello everyone, A postion for an AP (advanced placement) physics teacher opened up at the high school I work at and I jumped all over it. More specifically, I will be teaching AP Physics 2. I believe I will be one of two teachers in our district teaching the course. I haven't had much...
  36. Haorong Wu

    Prof. Peter Shor's teaching style is frightening

    I'm currently learning quantum computation on edx. I don't mean unrespectable, but Prof Shor is just not suitable for teaching. I guess he maybe a little nervous around students. Anyhow, he is still a great computer scientist.
  37. BillTre

    Can Legos Help Teach Braille? A Look at the Innovative Technique

    Here is a NY TImes article about using special lego blocks for teaching Braille. Braille is based upon the combinations of the presence of a bump in any of six positions. The most common lego block size has 8 bumps. Six of the bump positions are used to encode the Braille while the rest of the...
  38. J

    Schools Ohio State Physics | Reviews & Experiences

    Does anybody here have any experience with Ohio States’s undergraduate physics program? If so, what stuck out to you and what did you like/dislike about it?
  39. matqkks

    What should be the order of things on an introduction to pure maths?

    I want to produce a resource that has a narrative and includes the following topics: Sets, logic and proofs, numbers (irrational, integers, rational, …), binomial theorem, geometric series, inequalities, define things like identity, polynomial, symmetry, sigma and product notation. It is in...
  40. matqkks

    How to motivate students to do proofs?

    I am finding it difficult to motivate students on why they should how to prove mathematical results. They learn them just to pass examinations but show no real interest or enthusiasm for this. How can I inspire them to love essential kind of mathematics? They love doing mathematical techniques...
  41. matqkks

    Any resources of questions on Pell's and Di equations?

    Are there any resources of questions on the topic of Pell's and non linear Diophantine equations? I am looking for interesting results which are required to be solved. This is for a typical second year undergraduate level. Thanks.
  42. T

    Where can I find educational mechanical engineering devices?

    Does anyone know of a website that sells mechancial devices that demontrate the principles of mechanical engineering? Dynamics (gyros, etc.), Fluids, Deformation, Heat Transfer, etc? For undergraduates
  43. H

    Schools How to know the teaching quality in physics grad programs

    I am currently applying to physics graduate programs (considering both Master's and Ph.D.) in both Europe and North America. In choosing programs, I really care about teaching quality: emphasis on pedagogy, well-designed syllabi, and professors who are passionate about teaching. The QS World...
  44. E

    Physics Chance of getting a teaching gig with just an MS?

    I am looking for my first medical physics job, a field I consider a MS to be a terminal degree in. I love teaching, and feel in a couple decades I would like to transition to a teaching job. Are these very common with a MS at community colleges? Would it typically involve moving, like looking...
  45. S

    Physics Teaching physics at community college vs .a four year college

    I have two job offers: one from a community college (CC) and the other from a four year liberal arts college (LAC). Location: both are in the same area (with 20 minutes from one to the other). Salary: both jobs offer comparable salaries (four year college about $5K/year higher) Benefits: CC...
  46. B

    Schools Teaching vs. Research in Graduate School: Personal Statements

    I'm currently compiling materials for my graduate school applications this fall, and I'm having a bit of trouble deciding what to emphasize in terms of my experiences as an undergraduate, as well as my future career goals. I have a couple years of research experience (in computational...
  47. sams

    Questions Regarding a Semester Project

    I want to include a semester project for an undergraduate course for this semester. As a new lecturer, I was wondering about several aspects of this project and I would like to gain a deep insight of the following: 1. What subjects should I choose? Should they be related to the topics that are...
  48. Andromeda9010

    Teaching high school students for the first time

    Hello,I have been accepted for a physics teacher position in a high school. This would be my first job ever. I taught "tutored" students before in my home university for two semesters, and I think I am a good teacher. But, I feel that teaching high school students is totally different. I am not...
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