Conference Proceedings Detail Page
Using a parachute course to retain students in introductory physics courses
written by
Rebecca S. Lindell, Patrick Coulombe, and Jeffrey Saul
Calculus-based introductory physics service courses tend to be on the top twenty most difficult or killer course lists at many colleges and universities. At University of New Mexico (UNM), with a large minority-enrollment, physics faculty developed a parachute course to address this high failure rate and to improve student retention. Students not doing well in Physics 1 can switch into this course mid-semester when it begins and the original course is dropped from their records. The course has two goals: help students maintain their GPA to keep their scholarships and help them learn skills and knowledge needed to be successful on their next attempt at Physics I. Although the course was successful in helping students maintain their GPA; it seemed to do little to reduce the overall failure rate. Students retaking Physics I after the parachute course did no better than students retaking Physics I who did not take it.
Physics Education Research Conference 2016
Part of the PER Conference series Sacramento, CA: July 20-21, 2016 Pages 200-203
ComPADRE is beta testing Citation Styles!
![]() <a href="https://www.per-central.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=14254">Lindell, R, P. Coulombe, and J. Saul. "Using a parachute course to retain students in introductory physics courses." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2016, Sacramento, CA, July 20-21, 2016.</a>
![]() R. Lindell, P. Coulombe, and J. Saul, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2016, Sacramento, CA, 2016, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=14254&DocID=4608).
![]() R. Lindell, P. Coulombe, and J. Saul, Using a parachute course to retain students in introductory physics courses, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2016, Sacramento, CA, 2016, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=14254&DocID=4608>.
![]() Lindell, R., Coulombe, P., & Saul, J. (2016, July 20-21). Using a parachute course to retain students in introductory physics courses. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2016, Sacramento, CA. Retrieved February 10, 2025, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=14254&DocID=4608
![]() Lindell, R, P. Coulombe, and J. Saul. "Using a parachute course to retain students in introductory physics courses." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2016, Sacramento, CA, July 20-21, 2016. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=14254&DocID=4608 (accessed 10 February 2025).
![]() Lindell, Rebecca, Patrick Coulombe, and Jeffrey Saul. "Using a parachute course to retain students in introductory physics courses." Physics Education Research Conference 2016. Sacramento, CA: 2016. 200-203 of PER Conference. 10 Feb. 2025 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=14254&DocID=4608>.
![]() @inproceedings{
Author = "Rebecca Lindell and Patrick Coulombe and Jeffrey Saul",
Title = {Using a parachute course to retain students in introductory physics courses},
BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2016},
Pages = {200-203},
Address = {Sacramento, CA},
Series = {PER Conference},
Month = {July 20-21},
Year = {2016}
}
![]() %A Rebecca Lindell %A Patrick Coulombe %A Jeffrey Saul %T Using a parachute course to retain students in introductory physics courses %S PER Conference %D July 20-21 2016 %P 200-203 %C Sacramento, CA %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=14254&DocID=4608 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2016 %O July 20-21 %O application/pdf ![]() %0 Conference Proceedings %A Lindell, Rebecca %A Coulombe, Patrick %A Saul, Jeffrey %D July 20-21 2016 %T Using a parachute course to retain students in introductory physics courses %B Physics Education Research Conference 2016 %C Sacramento, CA %P 200-203 %S PER Conference %8 July 20-21 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=14254&DocID=4608 Disclaimer: ComPADRE offers citation styles as a guide only. We cannot offer interpretations about citations as this is an automated procedure. Please refer to the style manuals in the Citation Source Information area for clarifications.
Citation Source Information
The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual. The AJP/PRST-PER presented is based on the AIP Style with the addition of journal article titles and conference proceeding article titles. The APA Style presented is based on information from APA Style.org: Electronic References. The Chicago Style presented is based on information from Examples of Chicago-Style Documentation. The MLA Style presented is based on information from the MLA FAQ. Using a parachute course to retain students in introductory physics courses:Know of another related resource? Login to relate this resource to it. |
ContributeRelated MaterialsSimilar Materials |