Bragg Medal and Prize – University of Reading
30 November 2001Dr Michael Harry Tinker, of the Department of Physics, the University of Reading, has been jointly awarded The Bragg Medal, together with Dr Robert Lambourne CPhys FInstP, Open University, for their contribution to physics education particularly through the development of the Flexible Learning Approach to Physics.
Great commitment and originality have enabled Mike Tinker, with Dr Robert Lambourne CPhys FinstP of the Open University to develop a resource that provides an important bridge between school and university physics. Their Flexible Learning Approach to Physics (FLAP) has been used by universities since 1995 to meet the changing intake, expectations and skills of students entering higher education.
The project anticipated much of the thinking behind the Dearing Report, emphasising skills, learning targets and flexible, active learning, and allows physics departments to reconnect physics and maths.
The designers of FLAP showed great vision and innovation, along with the attention to detail and tenacity needed to deliver a quality resource of this scope within the required time-scale. Aided by a team of writers, editors and production staff, Lambourne was project director and Tinker was general editor. The two continue to guide the project, with new materials about to be released and an increased emphasis on electronic products.
The Bragg Medal is named after Sir Lawrence Bragg who had an international reputation for the popularization and teaching of physics. The Bronze Medal is awarded annually as an encouragement to those people active in this field and it is accompanied by a prize of £1000.
For further details, please contact Sue Rayner or Carol Derham on 0118 378 8004/5 Fax 0118 378 8924.