Silviu Gurlui, a university professor of physics at the faculty in Iași, asks in an open letter to the Minister of Education, Daniel David, the introduction of several hours of physics in the timetable of the high school students. The request comes only a few days after the similar one of the Romanian language teachers, who expressed their concern about the level of functional illiteracy of young people.
Students from Mate-Info should have more than more physics per week. Archive
Physics, explains the teacher of Gurlui, is one of the fundamental sciences that explain the natural phenomena and contribute to the technological progress of humanity.
This is the basis for the development of nuclear energy, electronics and telecommunications, health, environment, understanding atmospheric and astronomical phenomena, deeply influencing daily life. “Traditionally, physics was essential in understanding the laws of nature, from the movement of the planets to the structure of the atom. Physics has a major impact on the industry, contributing to the development of new technologies in medicine, transport and energy. Throughout history, Romania has had a solid tradition in the education of physics, forming generations of internationally recognized specialists. Thus, physics remains an essential field for the progress of humanity and for the future of Romanian science ”, explains Prof. Silviu Gurlui.
This is the reason why this matter, one of the ash of the schedule, should be appreciated at its addresses.
Silviu Gurlui, professor of physics at the faculty in Iași. Archive
“Minimum four hours a week at Mate-Info in specialized curriculum”
Professor Silviu Gurlui requests for the theoretical chain, the real profile, the mathematical-information specialization to ensure a minimum number 4 hours per week in the specialized curriculum in the 11th and 12th grades.
“For the technological chain, the technical profile, all specializations/professional qualifications: ensuring a minimum number 4 per week in the 9th and 10th grades with a 1 hour distribution in the common trunk and 3 hours in the specialized curriculum and 3 hours respectively in the specialized curriculum in the 11th and 12th grades. For the technological chain, the profile of natural resources and environmental protection all the specializations/professional qualifications: ensuring a minimum number 4 per week in the 9th and 10th grades with a 2-hour distribution in the common trunk and 2 hours in the specialized curriculum and 2 hours in the specialized curriculum in the 11th and 12th grades, “ transmitted the university in the open letter addressed to Minister David.
How physics is taught at high school in European states
Professor Gurlui gives a few examples of how physics is taught in European countries, stating that this subject is essential for children’s education.
“Despite the fact that Romania has such an important tradition with notable historical results worldwide, physics has become more and more a marginalized area, especially in terms of its importance in school curriculum, by the number of hours included in the education plan, by the number of experimental laboratories and especially by equipping the experimental laboratories.”
In the United Kingdom, explains Prof. Gurlui, students who choose specialized physics for A-Levels (the equivalent of baccalaureate) studies it as a separate discipline. “Number of hours: about 4-5 hours a week. Physics are taught intensely, having an emphasis on scientific theory and experiments. A-Levels extends for two years (Year 12 and Year 13) ”.
In Switzerland, the teacher continues, the educational system varies between the regions of German, French and Italian, but in general, students can choose physics within the scientific or technical specialization in high school. “Number of hours: about 4-6 hours a week. Students can choose additional courses according to their interest, and physics is often combined with mathematics and chemistry for a scientific profile. ”
In Austria, students who choose the scientific or technical profile in high school study physics as a separate discipline. “Number of hours: about 4-6 hours a week. Physics are studied in depth, with a strong emphasis on laboratories and practical applications ”.
In Spain, students can choose physics within the scientific or technological profile in the last years of high school. “Number of hours: about 4-5 hours a week. It is combined with chemistry, mathematics and other scientific disciplines. In some cases, physics is taught as a separate matter according to the options chosen by the students ”, says the teacher.
In France, physics is often combined with chemistry under the name “physics-chemistry”. “Number of hours: almost 4-6 hours a week, depending on the specialization. In the scientific specializations, students have separate hours for physics and chemistry, and the total number of hours varies according to the chosen specialization (mathematics, sciences of life and earth, etc.).
In Germany, students who choose physics have 4-6 hours a week in scientific or technical specialties. Physics are learned separately from chemistry and other sciences, and programs focus on physical theory and its application. “Therefore, in all these countries that have an exceptional quality education system and higher university and research training, physics is rated as an important subject in scientific and technical specializations, having a number of hours between 4 and 6 per week ”, the teacher points out.
Marian Stas, Education Expert. Archive
Expert in education: “In high school, the maximum number of hours is 30 per week”
Marian Stas, an education expert, told “Adevărul” that teachers generally oppose a terrible resistance to change. “Instead of having airy framework plans, with reorganized disciplines according to the real needs of the students, we do what we do and load the children’s schedule and more. This, without thinking that a larger number of hours leads to exceeding the maximum number allocated in high school, of 30.
Marian Staș believes that “toAnd students should be forced to learn the Romanian language and the grammar of the Romanian language, but not everyone has to learn physics, and chemistry, and biology ”.
