PERC 2018 Abstract Detail Page
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| Abstract Title: | Juried Talks I |
|---|---|
| Abstract: | This session consists of four juried talks. |
| Abstract Type: | Juried Talk Session |
| Session Time: | Parallel Sessions Cluster I |
| Room: | Congressional |
Author/Organizer Information | |
| Primary Contact: |
Organizing Committee PERC |
Symposium Specific Information | |
| Presentation 1 Title: | Transformative Experience in a Physics Course Designed to Facilitate Connections to Biology |
| Presentation 1 Authors: | B. Geller |
| Presentation 1 Abstract: | We examine the trajectory of a biology student ("Bryn") who entered an Introductory Physics for Life Science (IPLS) course with a negative view about the relevance of physics to her primary interests, and with a strong disciplinary identity as a biologist. After the IPLS course, Bryn's perspective on physics had evolved in profound ways. We leverage the idea of "transformative experience" (Pugh, 2010) to understand Bryn's evolution, and suggest how one might expand Pugh's definition to account for the experiences of students as they move between disciplinary classrooms. We argue that transformation is not just about seeing physics in the everyday world, but about seeing physics in other disciplines. By the end of the IPLS semester, Bryn has a set of "wonderful ideas" not only about physics, but about the relationship of physics to her primary biological interests. |
| Presentation 2 Title: | Intersectional physics identity framework |
| Presentation 2 Authors: | A. Johnson |
| Presentation 2 Abstract: | For the past several years, I have been studying a physics department where women of color feel successful and like they belong. In this presentation, I will present the physics identity which is available in this setting, and how that identity is accessible to women of color. I will also describe the framework I used to derive this identity, a framework that would be useful to other scholars interested in either physics identity or issues of diversity in physics. |
| Presentation 3 Title: | Misaligned Visions for Improving Graduate Diversity: Student Characteristics vs. Systemic/Cultural Factors? |
| Presentation 3 Authors: | L. Owens, B. M. Zwickl, S. V. Franklin, and C. W. Miller |
| Presentation 3 Abstract: | There has been a positive movement for physics departments to increase diversity of graduate programs by using more holistic strategies in their admission and retention practices. In this multiple case study of three graduate programs, faculty and graduate students were interviewed on the topics of admission and retention. While the goal of improving retention is shared between faculty and graduate students, their visions for how retention could be improved are not aligned. For two of the participating programs, faculty believe that retention could be improved by reforming admissions practices to select for students with attributes critical for success in graduate school, such as self-motivation. In contrast, the graduate student note more systemic or socio-cultural factors as impacting retention. It will be difficult to move onto next steps in the change process if there is divergence on the problem needing to be solved. |
| Presentation 4 Title: | Studying Community Development: A Network Analytical Approach |
| Presentation 4 Authors: | C. A. Hass, P. A. Ouimet, F. Genz, M.B. Kustusch, K. Pomian, E.C. Sayre, and J.P. Zwolak |
| Presentation 4 Abstract: | Research shows that community plays a central role in learning, and strong community support helps to engage students and aid in student persistence. Thus, understanding the function and structure of communities in learning environments is essential to education. We use social network analysis to explore the community dynamics of STEM students in a pre-matriculation, two-week summer program. Unlike previous network analysis studies in PER, we build our networks from classroom video that has been coded for student interactions using labeled, directed ties. We define 3 types of interaction: task oriented interactions (regarding the assigned task), topical interactions (having to do with STEM), and off topic interactions (unrelated to the assignment or STEM). To understand the development of community in this program, we analyze the evolution of the network during an activity, as well as over the course of the program by comparing the network from two different days. |
