Title

Workshop presentation
As part of UNESCO’s mandate to promote active learning in introductory university physics courses, a curriculum entitled “Active Learning in Optics and Photonics” has been developed to help students learn about a relatively new field of experimental physics and engineering that is emerging in many developing countries. The ALOP Workshop will be offered at:
Faculdade de Educação, Universidade de Sao Paulo
Sao Paulo, Brazil
From July 22nd to 27th, 2007

The goal of the workshop is to encourage physics teachers to use active learning methods when teaching the optics part of introductory physics courses by using hands-on techniques that draw on examples from current research activities in developing countries. By fostering an understanding and appreciation of optics in secondary schools and universities, many more students would be motivated to continue their study of physics and become researchers, teachers or technicians. In addition, an increase in teacher and student interest in optics and photonics can serve to improve public understanding of the important benefits that can result from applications of optics and photonics to regional economic development.  In the long run, public support for regional optics and photonics research may open up new opportunities for funding and the establishment of public and private research centers.

The ALOP curriculum is centered on topics that introduce students to several exciting applications of basic optics including: the eye; communications; the atmosphere; and, the role of interference and diffraction in spectroscopy and photonics. Modules with activities and appropriate instrumentation will be introduced for each application. Local fabrication of materials and components will be encouraged. An assessment instrument to measure student learning of optical concepts will be modified for local use at part of the workshop.

Instruction will be conducted in English with Spanish translation.

NB: This workshop is the sixth in a series of international workshops conducted in Africa and Asia. The first five were as follows:
1) Training of Physics Trainers in Active Learning, University of Cape Coast, Ghana
1-6 September 2003
2) Active Learning in Optics and Photonics, University of Cape Coast, Ghana
15-19 November 2004
3) Active Learning in Optics and Photonics, University of Monastir, Tunisia
26 March - 3 April 2005
4) Active Learning in Optics and Photonics, University Cadi Ayyad of Marrakech, Marruecos,
23 - 29 April 2006
5) Active Learning in Optics and Photonics, University of Delhi, India6-11 November 2006

Objectives of the Workshop
- To encourage the use innovative techniques in teaching of the physics in general, and optics and photonics, in particular.
- To exchange and to compare the methods on the teaching optics in universities.
- To provide hands-on experience in the use of the active learning method in optics and photonics, including the use of experiments, interactive lecture demonstrations, class and group discussions, and conceptual evaluation.

Program

Lecturers
Prof. Dr. Vasudevan Lakshminaraynan, Waterloo University in Canada
Prof. Dr. Alex Mazzolini, Swinburne University of Technology – Australia
Prof. Dr. Joel Maquiling, Ateneo de Manila University – Philippines
Prof Dr. Zohra Ben Lakhda, Université El Manar, Tunis Tunisia
Prof. D. R. Sokoloff, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA.
Prof. Dr. Souad Lahmar, Université El Manar, Tunis Tunisia.
Prof. Dr. Ivan Culuba, Ateneo de Manila University – Philippines.