The purpose of this project is to foster inter-American cooperation for the improvement of physics instruction through the development of local and multinational networks. These networks will take shape at an Inter- American Conference on Physics Education which is to be held in Mexico in July, 1987. As a result of the conference, topical network groups will be formed within the United States to become the links between the conference and existing national networks. These groups, composed of leading physics educators, most of whom will have attended the Conference, will meet after the conference to initiate new networks or strengthen existing ones based on the topical areas identified by the conference participants. The areas targeted for action may include such special topics as: Educational Research in Physics, Teaching Modern Physics, Linking Physics and Technology in the Classroom and Encouraging Laboratory Work and Low-Cost Experimentation. The project will emphasize problems of physics education in the countries of the Americas--Latin America, the Caribbean, the United States and Canada. Pooling of ideas from all the Americas, discussion of experiences, and examination of solutions to problems will be beneficial to all participating countries inspite of differences among their educational systems. Communication networks established for conference purposes as well as those created informally among participants should lead to useful forms of regional or hemispheric cooperation.
