Describes characteristics of and instructional strategies related to an applied physics course offered by the New South Wales Institute of Technology in Sydney. The course has a number of unique features which enable its students to be of immediate use to industry upon graduation. (JN)

The relative performance of men and women in physics courses at the University of Adelaide was investigated. Apart from first year work, there seems to be little difference between the performance of men and women despite an almost uniform ratio of about 10:1 in numbers in favor of men. (Author/JN)

Describes how the department of physics of the Western Australian Institute of Technology (WAIT) has been involved in the Peel Inlet-Harvey Estuary study. An appendix which presents the departmental approach to curriculum matters is also included. (HM)

Used an open-ended response survey to elicit first-year physics student's ideas on the nature of physics and how to study it. Describes the categories that were identified by a phenomenographic methodology and discusses the distribution of responses across the categories. Discusses issues that emerged and implications for the practice of teaching…

Presents the Conceptual Understanding Program (CUP) as a means of helping first-year university physics students overcome their misconceptions in mechanics. Students work on exercises alone, then in threes, and finally as a class, which has resulted in high levels of participation and satisfaction among students. This strategy can be implemented…

Describes a simple circuit based on an inexpensive quad operational amplifier that permits a direct-reading temperature instrument to be constructed using silicon diodes. Encourages the use of this equipment in introductory thermal experiments. (DDR)

Examines the issue of learning physics content through real-life contexts. Considers two projects--one from the United Kingdom, the other from Australia--that use a context-based learning approach. (Author/CCM)