Global Perspectives on Physics Education: Approaches from ICPE-IUPAP C14 Community

Abstract The physics outreach and educational activities carried out by members of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) International Commission on Physics Education (ICPE) encompass a broad range of perspectives, populations, and methodologies. The primary objective is to foster the exchange of information and expectations regarding issues in physics teaching and learning among members of the international scientific community. A common theme is that the challenges explored by the ICPE arise from the teaching and learning of physics, including its concepts, principles, epistemology, and culture. This article outlines the activities related to physics teacher education and the dissemination of effective teaching strategies, providing a context for the types of initiatives that ICPE engages in. We present four key areas of action developed by ICPE. The first section details the objectives and characteristics of the conferences organized in recent years. The second section summarizes the longstanding tradition of ICPE in publishing and disseminating handbooks on research and innovation in physics teaching and learning. In the third section, we describe the evolution of the ICPE newsletter, highlighting key contributions and changes over time. Finally, we report on the initiatives and actions undertaken by the Commission’s members during the current mandate.