{"title":"GFO copywrite: development and testing of written and visual materials for recruiting STEM teachers","authors":"Savannah L Logan, Richard L. Pearson, W. Adams","doi":"10.1119/perc.2019.pr.logan","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2019.pr.logan","url":null,"abstract":"There is a serious shortage of secondary science and math teachers across the United States. Part of this shortage can be attributed to a lack of research-based recruitment materials. To this end, we have developed written and visual materials for recruiting future teachers as part of the Get the Facts Out (GFO) project. We began by working with a marketing expert to develop tag lines, sentences, and other written material based on our research on perceptions of the teaching profession. Over the past year, we have tested these materials with faculty and students at several demographically and geographically diverse US universities. Our findings provide insights into optimal recruitment strategies and highlight the potential need for unique recruitment materials based on location, demographics, and target audience.","PeriodicalId":208063,"journal":{"name":"2019 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings","volume":"62 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129242640","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reflections on informal physics education","authors":"S. D. Bergin","doi":"10.1119/perc.2019.plenary.bergin","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2019.plenary.bergin","url":null,"abstract":"Informal learning offers opportunities for physics – opportunities that I hope the physics education research (PER) community can co-define and engage with. This commentary piece is a personal reflection on this topic. It reflects, and builds on, my Physics Education Research Conference (PERC) 2019 presentation. Grounded in my personal experiences with informal physics education, my PERC presentation asked those present to collectively consider the values, practices, and people they associate with successful informal learning. Attendee comments are presented and discussed in ways that I hope the PER community will identify with and respond to. They suggest myriad opportunities that informal learning offers physics – opportunity to i) engage diverse groups of people in doing physics; ii) for physicists as a community; iii) to advance the field.","PeriodicalId":208063,"journal":{"name":"2019 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings","volume":"19 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116127696","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Understanding university students’ identity through engagement in informal physics programs","authors":"Caleb Rispler, Brean Prefontaine, K. Hinko","doi":"10.1119/perc.2019.pr.rispler","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2019.pr.rispler","url":null,"abstract":"A physics student’s identity is predicated on a multitude of factors, such as research, classes, and activities outside the classroom. Many students choose to participate in informal physics teaching programs during college; however, these programs are an understudied portion of a physics student’s experience. We hypothesize that university students’ science identity is reshaped by interactions and experiences they have in these programs. We focus on a student group that does demonstrations at local K-12 schools and organizations. Preand postinterviews were collected with undergraduate participants in this group who went on an intensive week-long trip to rural areas in the state. Here, we extend our previous work using a Communities of Practice framework to analyze these interviews. We operationalize students’ movement toward or away from central membership as well as look at the intersection of other physics, academic, and personal communities with the informal physics program community.","PeriodicalId":208063,"journal":{"name":"2019 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings","volume":"152 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116067928","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Stephanie J. Sedberry, Ian D. Beatty, W. Gerace, Maha A. Elobeid, Jason E. Strickhouser
{"title":"Three critical issues that shape and complicate STEM self-efficacy intervention research: Reflections and analysis from an interdisciplinary research team","authors":"Stephanie J. Sedberry, Ian D. Beatty, W. Gerace, Maha A. Elobeid, Jason E. Strickhouser","doi":"10.1119/perc.2019.pr.sedberry","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2019.pr.sedberry","url":null,"abstract":"A student’s academic self-efficacy is a variable that predicts student achievement and persistence in STEM, and substantial research has focused on developing and testing interventions to increase STEM self-efficacy. Results have been inconsistent: Some efforts produced desired outcomes while others show weak or null effects. What factors affect whether a self-efficacy intervention is successful? Based on our experiences with an NSF-funded project that developed and tested a classroom-based self-efficacy intervention in university Physics courses, we identify three critical research issues that shape and complicate STEM student self-efficacy research, ground them in the literature, and illustrate them in practice. They are: (1) defining and measuring self-efficacy, (2) accounting for context, and (3) understanding related psychosocial factors. We conclude with implications for future research.","PeriodicalId":208063,"journal":{"name":"2019 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings","volume":"53 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116636109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tong Wan, Constance M. Doty, Ashley A. Geraets, Erin K. H. Saitta, Jacquelyn J. Chini
{"title":"Characterizing graduate teaching assistants’ teaching practices in physics “mini-studios”","authors":"Tong Wan, Constance M. Doty, Ashley A. Geraets, Erin K. H. Saitta, Jacquelyn J. Chini","doi":"10.1119/perc.2019.pr.wan","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2019.pr.wan","url":null,"abstract":"In this study, we characterized GTAs’ teaching practices in algebra-based introductory physics “mini-studios,” which combine student-centered recitation and inquiry-based labs. We documented both GTA and student actions using an observation protocol adapted from the Laboratory Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM (LOPUS). We observed 72 mini-studio sessions led by 11 GTAs over two semesters. We used an agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis and identified three clusters that described the similarities and differences between individual sessions. Two clusters contained sessions characterized by more interactive GTAs but they varied in the amount of feedback, lecture and whole class questioning the GTA provided. In the third cluster, GTAs tended to wait for students to call on them before engaging. Student behaviors also varied between the clusters, suggesting correlations between student behaviors and GTA instructional styles, in contrast to previous findings with LOPUS in other contexts. We discuss implications of these findings for future research.","PeriodicalId":208063,"journal":{"name":"2019 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings","volume":"45 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132806300","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Ratio Table: a tool for understanding ratios","authors":"Philip Southey","doi":"10.1119/perc.2019.pr.southey","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2019.pr.southey","url":null,"abstract":"Arnold Arons described an inadequate understanding of ratios as “one of the most serious impediments to the study of science” [1]. Yet ample math and physics education research demonstrates that STEM university students struggle with ratios. For example, students are familiar with the notion of “meters per second”","PeriodicalId":208063,"journal":{"name":"2019 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings","volume":"12 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115359982","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Using Conceptual Blending to model how we interpret computational models","authors":"Brandon R. Lunk","doi":"10.1119/perc.2019.pr.lunk","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2019.pr.lunk","url":null,"abstract":"With the growing integration of computational modeling in introductory physics curricula, educators face an increasing need to understand how students read and compose programming code so as to better support those students’ learning. In this paper, I will discuss Conceptual Blending as a framework for modeling how we read physical, mathematical, and logical meaning into the structural and grammatical features of programming code; modeling how features of the programming representation can affect student reasoning, both productively and counter-productively; and informing instructional interventions. After a discussion of the framework, I will present a case study to help illustrate how conceptual blending can help interpret student difficulties.","PeriodicalId":208063,"journal":{"name":"2019 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings","volume":"22 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126246189","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Student interpretations of uncertainty in classical and quantum mechanics experiments","authors":"Martin M. Stein, C. White, G. Passante, N. Holmes","doi":"10.1119/perc.2019.pr.stein","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2019.pr.stein","url":null,"abstract":".","PeriodicalId":208063,"journal":{"name":"2019 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings","volume":"40 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126290236","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Learning goals and perceived irrelevance to major within life science majors in introductory physics","authors":"Andrew J. Mason","doi":"10.1119/perc.2019.pr.Mason","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2019.pr.Mason","url":null,"abstract":"Previously, students' self-expressed learning goals, defined in the context of a problem solving selfdiagnosis exercise that served as a pre-lab activity, were studied as a potential variable that might be related to various course measurements (overall grade, FCI and CLASS pre-post scores) of an introductory algebra-based physics course population primarily consisting of life science majors. In this study, the same student population (218 total students) was polled for students' opinion about what aspects of the course pertained to their majors. Approximately 23% of the course population (50 students) explicitly stated a belief that the course had little or nothing to do with their majors; the other students named a specific physics topic, overall usefulness, or an aspect of the course closely related to well-known PER topics (e.g., problem solving or conceptual understanding), etc. We investigate the belief that the course is irrelevant to one's major as another potential mindset variable, alongside task-specific learning orientations, that influences pre-post course measurements. 2019 PERC Proceedings edited by Cao, Wolf, and Bennett; Peer-reviewed, doi.org/10.1119/perc.2019.pr.Mason Published by the American Association of Physics Teachers under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Further distribution must maintain attribution to the article's authors, cover page, and DOI.","PeriodicalId":208063,"journal":{"name":"2019 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings","volume":"16 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128034523","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Context of authority may affect students’ evaluations of measurement","authors":"E. M. Smith, Nicole Chodkowski, N. Holmes","doi":"10.1119/perc.2019.pr.smith_e","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2019.pr.smith_e","url":null,"abstract":"Recent research in introductory physics labs suggests that most students judge the quality of a measurement based on a comparison with theory. To probe this dimension of students’ judgments based on authority, we sought to evaluate whether students’ responses about evaluations of measurement depended on contextual cues. We asked students which measurement of the acceleration due to gravity was ‘better:’ (1) one given with uncertainty and found by ‘you and your friend’ or ‘you and your research group’ or (2) a textbook value with no reported uncertainty but more significant figures. By deliberately structuring multiple possible forms of authority (e.g., precision, expertise, equipment, theory) we intended to draw out nuances in how students draw upon authority in evaluating the quality of measurements. Our results suggest that contextual cues may influence students’ judgments about measurement and the authority that they draw upon more than lab instruction aimed at developing students’ experimentation skills.","PeriodicalId":208063,"journal":{"name":"2019 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings","volume":"59 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114294567","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}