Teaching and learning physics in formal and informal contexts.

What role does physics play in large-scale science education? This is one of the many questions that we have been pondering over. We believe that research in physics education can make a substantial contribution, especially nowadays, to tackle the problem of the estrangement of the general public from science issues. It is necessary to act on several sides not only by permanently supporting schools and universities to reflect on ways of teaching and learning physics, but also by valuing cultural experiences in informal contexts. The activities of our research group, documented on the website of “Laboratorio per l’Educazione alla Scienza” (LES) (http:///www.les.unina.it), are characterized by sharing a non-traditional way of doing science with people. In our experience, the meaning of physical and mathematical theories is understood when people’s interpretations of reality. A cognitive resonance model-based approach can help people understand the meaning of models in physics and develop critical thinking. It seems to us that, after years of great deal of efforts, the results achieved have been judged very promising by all subjects involved, and adequately respond to the needs of the territories in which we operate.