1. Asian Physics Education Network ASPEN-Asian Physics Education Network ICPE 2007, Marrakech, Morocco Nov 11 th -16 th, 2007 Voice:+6019-355-1621; drjjlanita@hotmail.com;http://drjj.uitm.edu.my http://drjj.uitm.edu.my/DRJJ/ASPEN_WEBSITE/index.htm Alex Mazzolini (Australia) Chair & Dr JJ (Malaysia) Deputy Chair

2. Asian Physics Education Network Introduction to ASPEN (Asian Physics Education Network) ASPEN established 1981 –Recommendation of UNESCO Consultative Committee Meeting held in Khon Kaen, Thailand –Representatives from 10 countries from the Asia-Pacific region. Afghanistan, Australia, People's Republic of China, India, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, USSR and Thailand

3. Asian Physics Education Network How it started… Thailand (elected as Chair), Australia, People's Republic of China, India, Indonesia. Malaysia (elected as the Executive Secretary), UNESCO and COSTED. The Secretariat was located at The National University of Malaysia.

4. Asian Physics Education Network Why ASPEN??.. The objectives of ASPEN are: a)to contribute towards efforts in promoting the overall development of university physics education in the Asian region; b)to establish a program of cooperation amongst members in university physics education and related areas; c)to establish effective channels of communication in physics education and related areas; and d)to disseminate information on physics education and related areas.

5. Asian Physics Education Network ASPEN Activities a)Organize and sponsor conferences, symposiums, seminars, workshops and meetings on topics associated with university physics education. b)Support collaborative and cooperative programs of activities between institutions. c)Support programs or exchange of visits between individuals from different institutions. d)Support research and development programs in university physics education. e)Publication of reports, proceedings, newsletters or journals associated with university physics education and related areas. f)Engaging in other activities that foster the objectives of ASPEN.

6. Asian Physics Education Network ASPEN Membership Admitted through the appointment of National Points-of-Contact of countries in the Asian region by the ASPEN Coordination Board. The nomination of any National Point-of-Contact, hereafter referred to as the 'NPC", shall normally be made by UNESCO's National Commission of the said NPC's country. The ASPEN Coordination Board may seek other nominations through the Executive Secretary. Any country shall only be represented by one NPC. The term of office of an NPC normally shall be for five years. Any NPC may withdraw membership of ASPEN by giving a written notice to the Executive Secretary. In

7. Asian Physics Education Network ASPEN: The Early Years Focus on improving communication between physics educators in the Asia- Pacific region Education conferences on discussing physics curricula, teaching techniques, lecture demonstrations, laboratory work, etc. Produced simple educational material for free distribution to physics teachers in developing Asia (eg Lecture Demo Video Clips CD) Examples of co-hosting or co-organising –MITAPE conference in the Philippines –Interactive Learning Workshop in Vietnam.

8. Asian Physics Education Network Active Learning Workshop was held in Vientiane, Laos, 2003. ASPEN was represented at the PC conference, Kagoshima, and the Association of Science Curriculum Workshop in Tokyo, Japan, 2003. Dr. Alex Mazzolini presented a paper.

9. Asian Physics Education Network Active Learning Workshop on Physics Education in Karachi, Pakistan (24th – 29th November 2004). Prof. Lakshman Dissanayake (Sri Lanka), Dr. Pratibha Jolly (India) and Prof. A. Rahman Omar (Malaysia) made presentations. Organiser: Dr. Fatima Hasnain Several ASPEN members actively participated and made presentations at the ICPE conference held in New Delhi, 21-26 August 2005; ASPEN Committee meeting was held to discuss future activities. Organiser: Dr. Pratibha Jolly

10. Asian Physics Education Network Active participation by several ASPEN Committee members in the World Conference on Physics and Sustainable Development in Durban, South Africa, 31 Oct.-02 Nov. 2005; Presented a paper entitled “ The Role of ASPEN in Promoting Physics Edutational Reforms in Asia”. Contributed as a member of the Physics Education Programme Committee.

11. Asian Physics Education Network Active Learning Workshop on Physics Education at Kagawa University, Takematsu, Japan (9th –12th August 2006). Organiser: Prof. Hiroshi Kawakatsu, NPC, Japan Active participation by several ASPEN Committee members in the International Conference on Physics Education (ICPE), Tokyo, Japan, 13-18 August 2006. ASPEN members made presentations on Active Learning Techniques in Physics Teaching.

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13. Active Learning in Optics & Photonics Workshop at the Miranda House, Univ of New Delhi Nov 2006 A week long workshop for NPC’s & few others to train more resource people in ALOP Sponsored by UNESCO Paris & Miranda House

14. Asian Physics Education Network 5th General Assembly and the Active Learning Workshop on Sustaining the Gains in Promoting the Active Learning Method in Teaching Physics, 22-26 October 2007; Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines. Organiser: Dr. Ivan Culaba, NPC, Philippines. Several ASPEN NPCs participated actively as resource persons and participants at the Active Learning Workshop on Optics and Photonics organized by the UNESCO and held in New Delhi, 6-11 November 2006.

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16. Other ASPEN Activities: “Virtual Physics” Lecture Demonstration Video Clips Vol. 1, PC/MAC CD-ROM, containing 25 high resolution video clips, 2002. Compiled and produced by Dr. Alex Mazzolini, Executive Secretary, ASPEN.

17. Asian Physics Education Network Maintaining the ASPEN website and updating it regularly; Organising ALWs in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Thailand; Form a more coherent group of Resource persons for conducting ALWs; Developing an ASPEN Trainers Manual; Among the important activities that had been planned to be implemented during the last five years but could not be achieved are:

18. Asian Physics Education Network ASPEN-Activities in Malaysia Co-hosted –General Assembly & Conference/Workshop in 1997 Khalijah, Priscilla, Dean Zollman, Ian Johnston, (the Haze) –Local Conference & workshop 1999 2001 2002 (Focus more on skills) 2004 (Focus more on skills)

19. Asian Physics Education Network ASPEN: A New Direction American National Science Foundation Chautauqua Workshop "Promoting Active Learning in Introductory Physics Courses" –Profs Priscilla Laws, David Sokoloff and Ron Thornton January 1999, Swinburne University, Melbourne, Australia International Active Learning Workshop with 10 participants from ASPEN countries (supported by UNESCO) After Chautauqua, ASPEN activities have mostly been centered around hands-on Active Learning Workshops.

20. Asian Physics Education Network ASPEN Active Learning Workshops (ALWs) Laos, Vietnam, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Philippines ALWs mainly focused on Mechanics and Electronics Adapt AL strategies for the developing countries of Asia –Culture (eg saving face, authority figures etc.) –Resources (equipment, local resource people etc)

21. Asian Physics Education Network New ASPEN Coordination Board Team (2007-2012) Alex Mazzolini (Australia) Chair Jaafar “JJ” Jantan (Malaysia) Vice Chair Boonchoat “P15” Paosawatyanyong (Thailand) Exec. Sec. Pratibha Jolly (India) Coordination Board Member Horoshi Kawakatsu (Japan) Coordination Board Member Sultana Shafee (Bangladesh) Coordination Board Member Jin Seung Kim (South Korea) Coordination Board Member Lakshman Dissanayake (Sri Lanka) Immediate Past Chair (Co-opted onto the Board to assist continuity)

22. Asian Physics Education Network ASPEN: The Next Five Years Minimum Goals: –Encourage the establishment of 2-3 Science/Physics Education Centres in the Asian region which can be used for ASPEN activities such as ALWs –Aim to coordinate at least one regional/local workshop activity per year (using local resource people wherever possible) –Aim to train at least one local AL resource person per year Already several proposals are being prepared to host ASPEN activities for next year

23. Asian Physics Education Network ASPEN’s Experience with ALWs Active Learning Workshops can inspire physics teachers to try new and innovative student- centred teaching methods But a lot of work now needs to be done to deciding how best to sustain and extend Active Learning in the Asian context