PERC 2008 Abstract Detail Page
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| Abstract Title: | Acting in Our Own Self-Interest: Blending University and Community |
|---|---|
| Abstract: | Research in physics education has demonstrated new tools and models for improving the understanding and engagement of traditional college students. [1] The research community has bridged the gap to pre-college education, even elementary school. [2] However little work has been done to engage students in out-of-school settings, particularly for those students from populations under-represented in the sciences. We present a theoretically-grounded model of university-community partnership [3] that engages students and children in a collective enterprise that has the potential to improve the participation and education of all. We document the impact of these programs on: university participants (undergraduates, graduates, and postdocs in physics) who learn about education, the community and even some science; children in the community who learn about science, the nature of science and develop the identities and attitudes towards science; and, shifts in institutional practice which may allow these programs to be sustained. We conclude by identifying some of the structural barriers to implementing and sustaining these programs. [1] E.F. Redish, Teaching Physics with the Physics Suite ( Wiley, New York, 2003). [2] F. Goldberg, S. Robinson, and V. Otero, Physical Science and Everyday Thinking, (Its About Time, Herff Jones Education Division, Armonk, NY, 2008). [3] Cole, M. Cultural Psychology, Harvard University Press 2006. |
| Abstract Type: | Targeted Poster |
| Targeted Session: | Applications of PER in Diverse Settings: Perspectives on Audience, Method and Implementation |
| Contributed Paper Record: | Contributed Paper Information |
| Contributed Paper Download: | Download Contributed Paper |
Author/Organizer Information | |
| Primary Contact: |
Noah Finkelstein University of Colorado at Boulder |
| Co-Author(s) and Co-Presenter(s) |
Laurel Mayhew University of Colorado at Boulder |
