Becoming Physics People: Development of Integrated Physics Identity through the Learning Assistant Experience

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorClose, Eleanor
dc.contributor.authorConn, Jessica
dc.contributor.authorClose, Hunter G.
dc.date.accessioned2019-04-10T15:06:17Z
dc.date.available2019-04-10T15:06:17Z
dc.date.issued2016-02-22
dc.description.abstract[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Preparing and Supporting University Physics Educators.] In this study, we analyze the experience of students in the Physics Learning Assistant (LA) program at Texas State University in terms of the existing theoretical frameworks of community of practice and physics identity, and explore the implications suggested by these theories for LA program adoption and adaptation. Regression models from physics identity studies show that the physics identity construct strongly predicts intended choice of a career in physics. The goal of our current project is to understand the details of the impacts of participation in the LA experience on participants’ practice and self-concept, in order to identify critical elements of LA program structure that positively influence physics identity and physics career intentions for students. Our analysis suggests that participation in the LA program impacts LAs in ways that support both stronger “physics student” identity and stronger “physics instructor” identity, and that these identities are reconciled into a coherent integrated physics identity. Increased comfort in interactions with peers, near peers, and faculty seems to be an important component of this identity development and reconciliation, suggesting that a focus on supporting community membership is useful for effective program design.
dc.description.departmentPhysics
dc.formatText
dc.format.extent18 pages
dc.format.medium1 file (.pdf)
dc.identifier.citationClose, E. W., Conn, J. & Close, H. G. (2016). Becoming physics people: Development of integrated physics identity through the learning assistant experience. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 12(1), 0101098.
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.12.010109
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10877/7972
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherAmerican Physical Society
dc.rights.licenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
dc.sourcePhysical Review Physics Education Research, 2016, Vol. 12, No. 1, 010109.
dc.subjectphysics education research
dc.subjectstudent preparation
dc.subjectphysics Learning Assistant
dc.subjectPhysics
dc.titleBecoming Physics People: Development of Integrated Physics Identity through the Learning Assistant Experience
dc.typeArticle

Files

Original bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
2016-Becoming-physics-people.pdf
Size:
181.94 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download

License bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
2.54 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download

Collections

College of Science and Engineering