Informal physics programs as communities of practice: How can program structures support university students' identities?

2020/12/05 by Brean Prefontaine, C. Scott Mullen, Prefontaine, Brean +13
Social Sciences · #Career Development and Diversity #FOS: Physical sciences #Innovative Education and Learning Practices #Innovative Teaching Methods #Physics Education (physics.ed-ph)

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2012.03022

openalex publication_date 2020/12/05 · openalex created_date 2020/12/21 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

Many undergraduate and graduate physics students participate in some form of public engagement throughout the course of their studies, often through groups supported by physics departments and universities. These informal teaching and learning programs can offer unique opportunities for physics identity development. Understanding how physics identities can be fostered will allow us to work toward a field that is inclusive of more identities. In this study, we build on previous work to investigate student-facilitator experiences in three informal physics programs using an operationalized Communities of Practice framework. Through our analysis, we identify different structures within these programs that support physics identity development.

Citations

• Connecting high school physics experiences, outcome expectations, physics identity, and physics career choice: A gender study
• Devalued Black and Latino Racial Identities

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