Physics Training and Talent Search (PTTS) is a training Programme for highly research motivated and talented undergraduate and post graduate students across the nation following active learning methodology of training.
Some participants in the past have been provided internships . There is a possibility of providing internships for few highly promising students who perform well in the program.
The first Programme of its kind was held from Dec18 to 30, 2015 at Kuvempu University, Karnataka for about 50 BSc III year students selected across India, with funding from several research institutes and national science academies. This Programme was highly successful and it motivated us to continue it. Since then, 4 Programmes have been held at different venues every year.
To provide a platform for motivated students to interact with peers and experts in the field.
To identify talented students and nurture their talent for a research career in Physics.
During the class:
Pause, by asking students for suggestions as to how to proceed further, giving hints if needed. Ask simple questions to check if they understood what was said.
WE DO NOT COMPROMISE ON THIS ASPECT.
NO LECTURING FOR THE FULL DURATION WITHOUT INTERACTION WITH STUDENTS AT REGULAR INTERVALS
The following has to be emphasized in the course of lectures:
answer “why, why not” kind of questions at every stage.If they dont, you ask them such questions.
e)We would like the teacher and tutor to attend the other courses at the same level. Coordinators will also be attending the classes.
We encourage any teacher attending the class to ask a potential good question which you expect a student must ask. Students must observe a mature question asked and learn to ask such questions in future.
SUGGESTIONS ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION OF LECTURES
See if it can be reversed it by working simple examples and then making students see the general result for themselves? This should give them a thrill of discovery.
Critical questions: Something new is taught, how does it agree/not agree with what is already known?
Creative questions: If some result is shown in a given situation, envisage a different situation or add some complication and ask how the result is modified?
Such questions can be prepared when preparing the course. Feynman lectures has such approach.
TUTORIALS
Tutorial problems can have the following components, wherever possible:
Problems can be of increasing difficulty.
In tutorials , participants will be asked formed in groups. Once problem sheet is given, they will be asked to discuss among themselves as to how to start the problem.
They should not jump to start writing without discussing. Each group has to be check with the tutors, if their approach is correct. Tutors will be more facilitators to help them come with their solution.
Example: Show experimentally a)Force is a vector, b) does diffraction depend on the state of polarization.?
Example: Find a method of measuring the instantaneous velocity of a moving object. Can involve circuits, which they can come up with.
2) Also it can be a problem posed to have a controlled study and there should be scope for student to give qualitative theory to explain what they find.
Example: Measure damping constant of a damped oscillator as a function of temperature/concentration /pressure and find the behavior. Explain why such a behavior is seen.
Measure terminal velocity of any object and investigate how it depends on temperature/pressure/density of liquid. Give a theory to explain.
.
very minimal equipment, students will have to fabricate their own equipment. The
budget constraint of Rs. 200 per student forces them to be innovative.
We sometimes give only empty room/empty lab .
measurement process 2) identify sources of error due to mismatch between theoretical
idealization and experimental conditions.
There should a lecture on error analysis on the first few days
PTTS -2015 at Kuvempu University
PTTS 2016 at Regional Institute of education
PTTS-2017 Loyola College
PTTS-2018 National Institute of technology , Surathkal
PTTS-2019 Manipal Institute of Technology, Udipi
PTTS-2020 Cancelled due to the pandemic
PTTS-2021 Ahmedabad University(online
How to Apply