Abstract: The overview of physics education research （PER） in America is introduced in this paper. The research contents of PER include the theories and methods of physics education. The research objects are the aspects and the relations of physics teaching. Researchers advance many new methods and modes to improve the teaching quality, find the difficulties and the problems in learning physics courses, encourage students＇ enthusiasm, deepen their understandings, and make progress their abilities to analyze and solve scientific questions.

Key words: physics education research, tutorials in introductory physics, real-time physics, physics by inquiry, the student-centered activities for large enrollment undergraduate programs