Targeted to Intermediate English (B1+) speakers.Read more
This is the standard requirement for most courses. Participants at this level can participate actively in discussions and manage everyday and professional situations. If they are unsure about their English level, they can test it here or explore our courses facilitated in Basic English.
Math Teachers, Science Teachers.Read more
The listed audiences are those for whom the course is especially recommended, but courses are not exclusive to them and are open to everyone. In fact, most of our workshops are built around the collective sharing of participants’ experiences and having a variety of profiles enriches the learning process and is highly encouraged!
Advanced Course.Read more
This course is designed for participants with some prior knowledge of the topic. Still, it is open to everyone, as the variety of backgrounds makes the learning process more engaging. If you are looking for an introductory course instead, we recommend exploring our catalogue further.
Description
Teaching Physics in a “tasty” way may sound like a real challenge, especially when teachers need to deal with concepts that can seem abstract or disconnected from real life.
Actually, Physics is one of the easiest subjects to adapt to students in an innovative and engaging way, and Optics, in particular, offers powerful opportunities to connect theory, experimentation, and real-world applications.
This course is designed for science educators working in secondary schools, vocational institutions, or universities who wish to deepen their understanding of fundamental optics.
The goal is to show that experimentation is not an “extra burden”, but a practical and effective way to simplify concepts, support understanding, and increase students’ curiosity and motivation.
For this reason, the course offers a guided introduction to the fundamental principles of optical circuits, followed by a series of experimental activities (e. g. the measurement of Brewster’s angle, the study of Stokes parameters, or Fourier’s principles).
Through guided experimentation, educators will be empowered to translate complex physical laws into tangible experiences and adaptable educational tools.
The course will follow a progressive and flexible structure, ensuring accessibility and personalized learning pathways for the participants.
In fact, each experiment will be accompanied by discussion on how to adapt it to different student levels, time constraints, and teaching contexts.
By the end of the course, participants will be equipped not only to replicate these experiments in their own teaching environments but also to adapt and extend them, promoting active learning and inquiry-based approaches in their classrooms.
What is included
Learning outcomes
The course will help participants to:
- Understand key concepts and phenomena in classical and modern optics;
- Interpret experimental results using basic mathematical and physical models;
- Design and modify optical circuits for experimental purposes;
- Implement hands-on optics experiments in classroom and laboratory settings;
- Integrate theory and experimentation into inquiry-based science teaching;
- Adapt experimental activities to different learners’ levels;
- Promote students’ scientific curiosity and inquiry skills through guided experiments;
- Explore the interdisciplinary potential of optics within STEM education.
Tentative schedule
Day 1 – Introduction to the course and optical phenomena
- Introduction to the course, the school, and the external week activities;
- Icebreaker activities;
- Presentations of the participants’ schools;
- Historical and conceptual foundations of optics;
- The nature of light: wave, particles, and considerations;
- Introduction to laboratory tools and experimental setup.
Day 2 – Refraction, reflection, and Brewster’s angle
- Snell’s Law and Fresnel equations;
- Experimental measurement of refractive index;
- Brewster’s angle and polarized light;
- Discussion of results and didactic transposition;
- Group workshop: designing adaptations for different student levels.
Day 3 – Polarization and Stokes parameters
- Understanding polarization in practical terms;
- Introduction to Stokes vectors and Mueller matrices;
- Laboratory session: measuring Stokes parameters;
- Application to real-world optical systems (e.g., sensors, displays);
- Group reflection: teaching polarization through experimentation.
Day 4 – Optical materials and photochromic cross-correlation
- Introduction to nonlinear and photo-responsive materials;
- Cross-correlation techniques for dynamic optical characterization;
- Hands-on experiments with photochromic films;
- Data acquisition and interpretation;
- Design of interdisciplinary teaching modules combining physics, chemistry, and material science.
Day 5 – Optical Fourier transforms and final projects
- Light as an information carrier;
- Optical Fourier transforms: experiments and applications;
- From lab to classroom: designing lesson ideas and learning activities;
- Final project presentations and peer feedback;
- Ethical reflection: teaching scientific complexity responsibly.
Day 6 – Course closure and cultural activities
- Course evaluation: round-up of acquired competencies, feedback, and discussion;
- Awarding of the course Certificate of Attendance;
- Excursion and other external cultural activities.
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