Renee Michelle Goertzen

Creating opportunities to influence self-efficacy through modeling instruction

In this paper we present an initial analysis connecting key elements of Modeling Instruction (MI) to self-efficacy experience opportunities. Previously, we demonstrated that MI has positive effects on self-efficacy when compared with traditional Lecture instruction [1]. We also found a particularly strong positive effect on the social persuasion source of self-efficacy for women in the MI class. Our current study seeks to understand through what mechanisms MI influences self-efficacy. We demonstrate this connection through an in-depth analysis of video chosen to exemplify Modeling techniques used in a problem-solving episode by three female participants enrolled in a MI introductory physics class. We provide a rich and descriptive analysis of the self-efficacy experiences opportunities within this context and discuss how these opportunities provide a potential explanation of how MI influences self-efficacy.

Indicators of Understanding: What TAs Listen for in Student Responses

Before we can develop effective, research‐based professional development programs for graduate student physics TAs, we must first identify their current classroom practices and why they engage in these practices. Framing, a theoretical framework developed in sociology and linguistics, provides an analytical toolbox for examining the expectations that guide the actions and attention of individuals while teaching. We use framing to develop fine‐grained analyses of two episodes of TAs teaching tutorials. Despite the differences in their behaviors, the two TAs are in a sense both doing the same thing; they organize their interactions with students around “searching for indicators” that the students understand the targeted ideas.

Communicating scientific ideas: One element of physics expertise

In this paper we present an alternative perspective to physics expertise research. Using Lave and Wengers theoretical perspective of Legitimate Peripheral Participation [4] as a guide to understanding expertise development, we redefine expertise from the perspective of physicists. We analyze data from an ethnographic, qualitative study of a physics research group and draw data from multiple sources to triangulate a definition of expert. Results show that a very critical part of becoming a physics expert in this physics research group is communicating ones scientific ideas through writing. Students perceive scientific writing as an important aspect of participating in the research group and it is a significant discussion point in the research meetings. Thus, it appears that learning to write a scientific paper is a process congruent to developing physics expertise.

The Importance of High School Physics Teachers for Female Students’ Physics Identity and Persistence

Given the historic and continued underrepresentation of women in physics, it is important to understand the role that high school physics might play in attracting female students to physics careers. Drawing on data from over 900 female undergraduates in physics, we examine when these women became interested in physics careers and different sources of recognition (important for physics identity development) that may have affected their choices at certain time points. The results provide optimism since many of these female students, even those not previously intending science careers, began to intend physics careers in high school and recognition from high school physics teachers had a significant effect on predicting these intentions.

The Pedagogical Value of Obvious Questions in Introductory Physics

Each time students engage in a classroom activity, they make tacit interpretations (about the nature of those activities) that influence how they reason and ultimately what they learn. For example, a student answering a physics question on a worksheet might draw on her everyday thinking to help make sense of the physics, or she might not even consider everyday thinking if its usefulness was not readily apparent. For many physics instructors, the reconciliation of everyday thinking and formal physics knowledge is part of what it means to fully understand physics.1 Despite this, many students do not see reconciling these two things as what they are supposed to do in the classroom. Often we see students whose interpretation of physics class causes them to “turn off” their everyday thinking. In this article, we argue for the importance of attending closely to whether students are reconciling their everyday and formal physics thinking and introduce “obvious” questions as a tool that can help instructors assess...

Cookies as agents for community membership

When becoming a member of a community of practice, a novice must adopt certain community norms to participate, and these include the social norms of the group. Using the analytical perspective of Legitimate Peripheral Participation in a Community of Practice, this paper explores the social role of cookies as agents for community participation and membership in a physics research group. We analyze data from an ethnographic case study of a physics research group weekly research meeting. The mentors bring cookies to each meeting and view the cookies as a token of appreciation for the graduate students’ work. These cookies take on a subtler role of initiating guests and students into scientific conversations and participation. Via the cookies, members also share personal histories and stories that help members strengthen their membership. The study of social norms in this research group is part of a larger study of physics expert identity development.

Periscope: Looking into Learning in Best-Practices Physics Classrooms

Periscope is a set of lessons to support learning assistants, teaching assistants, and faculty in learning to notice and interpret classroom events the way an accomplished teacher does. Periscope lessons are centered on video episodes from a variety of best-practices university physics classrooms. By observing, discussing, and reflecting on teaching situations similar to their own, instructors practice applying lessons learned about teaching to actual teaching situations and develop their pedagogical content knowledge. Instructors also get a view of other institutions’ transformed courses, which can support and expand the vision of their own instructional improvement and support the transfer of course developments among faculty. Periscope is available for free to educators at http://physport.org/periscope.