Examining Physics Professors’ Perceptions of Ideal Students Through the Lens of Power and Identity

• In Event: Saturday Roundtable 7:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Equity Issues and Instruction (Table 30)

Abstract

This study explores how physics professors describe their ideal students and the reasons for student success in their courses. A lens of power and physics identity is used to examine these findings and how they may narrow and/or expand physics identities available to students. The data was collected utilizing a qualitative methodology of semi-structured interviews with 18 professors from 10 different universities and colleges. Implications include how this may limit the accessibility of physics identity to underrepresented groups.

Author

• Christy Metzger, University of Delaware