Demystifying the scaffolding required for first-year physics student retention: contextualizing content and nurturing physics identity,

Abstract

Graduates of physics degree programs are a critical element in the development of a scientifically literate, economically competitive society as discussed by the National Research Council in 2013 (Adapting to a changing world: Challenges and opportunities in undergraduate physics education. National Academies Press, Washington, D.C. 2013). This qualitative case study invited students at a university in Atlantic Canada to participate in a post-course survey to investigate what influenced them to major or to not major in physics. Sixty students participated in the survey portion of the study, of a possible 121, and the survey data was cross-referenced with data from two student interviews, one professor interview, and one laboratory technician interview. Results indicated that student participants were more likely to choose a physics degree program if they felt that they had enough interest in the subject matter, they had experienced good teaching, and they could see how to apply the degree to a career. In addition, a newly implemented, research-based laboratory curriculum proved beneficial, especially for female students. Fifteen percent of participating students continued into a physics major, which is more than the average of under 10% reported by Nicholson and Mulvey in 2016 (Roster of physics departments with enrollment and degree data, 2013. Focus on: American Institute of Physics. 2016. Available from https://www.aip.org/sites/default/files/statistics/rosters/physrost15.1.pdf ). This study provides a Canadian perspective on the choice to major in physics or not, which had been missing from the literature. Findings from this case could be infused into other first-year physics courses to boost student retention rates.