Conveners
(DPE) M1-5 Physics Programs, Pedagogy, and Continuity | Programmes de physique, pédagogie et continuité (DEP)
- John Donohue
Research on the learning and teaching of physics has been done in university physics departments for more than 50 years. Unfortunately, much of this work has been done in the United States and there are structural and cultural differences between the US and Canadian higher education systems. In this talk I will present an overview of PER work recently done at the University of Waterloo...
Examining the motivations and influences impacting undergraduate student program choice not only assists physics departments in recruitment efforts but also enables the development of curricula tailored to meet the needs and interests of students. In our 2003 first-year physics courses at the University of Guelph, science majors participated in a survey exploring the diverse motivations and...
We will discuss the two most recent iterations of a Physical Science in Contemporary Society course, a senior-level physics course at the University of Toronto that encourages physics students to explore how physics and society influence each other. A different instructor taught each iteration of the course while an education PhD student acting as a “critical friend” assisted in the handover...
There has been noted concern regarding the retention, academic success, and motivation of students in STEM courses, especially physics. Additionally, problem solving is a highly valued 21st Century workforce skill in Canada (Hutchison, 2022) that recent graduates seem to lack (Cavanagh, Kay, Klein, & Meisinger, 2006; Deloitte & The Manufacturing Institute, 2011; Binkley et al., 2012; Finegold...
