Resources

Teachers and Parents Section of OpticsForKids.org

Visit the Teachers and Parents Section of OpticsForKids.org to access articles, classroom activities and teaching tools, as well as multi-media clips about the science of optics. The information is intended to help explain many of the principles featured in the experiments, tutorials and optical illusions throughout the rest of the site.

PhysTEC -- Physics Teacher Education Coalition

This joint effort at improving teacher preparation is facilitated by three of the most prominent national physics societies, the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), American Institute of Physics (AIP), and American Physical Society (APS). Working together, the project recognizes three themes essential to providing excellent teacher preparation: Bridges, Engagement, and Continuum.

Bridges symbolizes the need to involve the various groups (physics faculty, education faculty, and practicing teachers) in common goals of preparing teachers, and to recognize each of their individual and unique contributions.

Engagement indicates the importance of department-level reform to change attitudes and practices necessary to address problems in producing more better-prepared teachers.

Continuum recognizes the broad spectrum of efforts necessary to bring about effective change.

LEDs – Using Optics for Energy Efficiency

A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits visible light when an electric current passes through it. Unlike incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs, LEDs do not give off much heat, use less electricity to produce light and are more efficient at producing visible light.  Optics and photonics researchers are continually working to make LEDs even more efficient.