Physics Colloquium: How can student motivation lead to (in)equitable learning experiences in physics?

Physics Colloquium
How can student motivation lead to (in)equitable learning experiences in physics?

Dr. Z. Yasemin Kalender
Assistant Director of Science Pedagogy
Derek Bok Center at Harvard University
 

Register Here for Zoom Link
This seminar may be attended in person in A300 Gosnell Hall or online via Zoom.

The findings shared in this talk will have potential implications for instructional reforms in physics in order to create more welcoming, supportive, and equitable classroom environment for all students.

Abstract:
The historical representation issues in the discipline of physics still continue to exist today at all educational levels. My research seeks to understand the issues related to the current representation gaps in physics and to enhance diverse groups of students’ advancement and successes in physics and related fields. In this talk, I will focus on the role of students’ motivational characteristics in introductory level physics courses. These studies aim to understand and explain observed gender differences in students’ motivational factors, and the link between prior knowledge and students’ learning outcomes. I will describe how we use quantitative tools in education research, such as Structural Equation Modeling, to begin to evaluate complex models of student characteristics and attitudes to understand their learning. The findings shared in this talk will have potential implications for instructional reforms in physics in order to create more welcoming, supportive, and equitable classroom environment for all students.

Speaker Bio:
Z. Yasemin Kalender obtained a B.S. degree from Boğaziçi University in Istanbul with a focus on experimental particle physics during which she worked as a collaborator in several projects at CERN. Later, she moved to the University of Pittsburgh to continue her education as a Ph.D. student with a research focus on physics education. Her research interests are in investigating motivational characteristics of students, diversity issues in the physics discipline, and incorporating big data analysis techniques into the area of physics education research. After earning her Ph.D., she continued her academic work as a postdoctoral research associate at Cornell University. In her postdoctoral position as an Active Learning Initiative fellow, she investigated the inquiry-based physics lab courses and their impact on students’ motivational factors. Expanding on her Ph.D. work, she investigated the group work dynamics in these newly reformed labs. During her postdoctoral training, Dr. Kalender also led a project on understanding Teaching Assistants’ views about and experiences in teaching these reformed lab courses. Dr. Kalender is currently an Assistant Director of Science Pedagogy at the Derek Bok Center at Harvard University supporting STEM teaching and learning at all levels.

Intended Audience:
Beginners, undergraduates, graduates, experts. Those with interest in the topic.

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