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    Exploring possible selves in a first-year physics foundation class: Engaging students by establishing relevance

    238917_238917.pdf (139.0Kb)
    Access Status
    Open access
    Authors
    Bennett, Dawn
    Roberts, Lynne
    Creagh, C.
    Date
    2016
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Bennett, D. and Roberts, L. and Creagh, C. 2016. Exploring possible selves in a first-year physics foundation class: Engaging students by establishing relevance. Physical Review Physics Education Research. 12: 010120.
    Source Title
    Physical Review Special Topics - Physics Education Research
    DOI
    10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.12.010120
    ISSN
    1554-9178
    School
    Research and Creative Production
    Remarks

    This open access article is distributed under the Creative Commons license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/35991
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    Students often complain that they cannot see the relevance of what they are being taught in foundation physics classes. While revising and adjusting the curriculum and teaching are important, this study suggests it might also be useful to help students view their learning in relation to their future career aspirations. This paper reports on a study conducted with first-year students enrolled in a compulsory foundation physics unit with a history of low pass rates.Working within a “possible selves” framework, activities were designed to help students position their learning in relation to possible future lives and careers. Two cohorts of students (N ¼ 93) engaged in an intensive workshop comprising multiple activities relating to self and career. Self-reflection worksheets were analyzed using content analysis. The results indicate that students experience immediate benefits from these activities through self-reflection on the current self, future possible professional selves, and the role of current studies in narrowing the gap between the two.

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