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AvhandlingarDidaktikComplexity Theory and Physics Education Research: The Case of Student Retention in Physics and Related Degree Programmes
Didaktik

Complexity Theory and Physics Education Research: The Case of Student Retention in Physics and Related Degree Programmes

Publicerad:2015-10-01
Uppdaterad:2015-12-07

Studenters studieframgångar kan modelleras som ett komplext system. Detta är ett nytt och spännande fält i didaktisk forskning. Preliminära resultat visar att effekter på studenternas poängskörd kan påverkas indirekt genom att studenternas studieerfarenheter förändras, visar Jonas Forsman i sin avhandling.

Författare

Jonas Forsman

Handledare

Professor Cedric Linder, Uppsala universitet

Opponent

Professor Ismo Koponen, Helsingfors University

Disputerat vid

Uppsala universitet

Disputationsdag

2015-10-02

Titel (eng)

Complexity Theory and Physics Education Research: The Case of Student Retention in Physics and Related Degree Programmes

Institution

Institutionen för fysik och astronomi, Fysikundervisningens didaktik

Complexity Theory and Physics Education Research: The Case of Student Retention in Physics and Related Degree Programmes

This thesis explores the use of complexity theory in Physics Education Research as a way to
examine the issue of student retention (a university’s ability to retain its students). University
physics education is viewed through the concepts of nestedness and networked interactions. The
work presented in this thesis covers two main aspects from a complexity theory perspective:
(1) institutional action to enhance student retention; and, (2) the role of students’ in-course
interaction networks. These aspects are used to reframe student retention from a complexity
theory perspective, as well as to explore what implications this new perspective affords. The first
aspect is addressed by conceptualizing student retention as an emergent phenomenon caused by
both agent and component interaction within a complex system. A methodology is developed to
illustrate a networked visualization of such a system using contemporary estimation methods.
Identified limitations are discussed. To exemplify the use of simulations of complex systems, the
networked system created is used to build a simulation of an “ideal” university system as well
as a Virtual world for hypothesis-testing. The second aspect is divided into two sections: Firstly,
an analysis of processes relating to how students’ in-course networks are created is undertaken.
These networks are divided into two relevant components for student retention – the social and
the academic. Analysis of these two components of the networks shows that the formation of
the networks is not a result of random processes and is thus framed as a function of the core
constructs of student retention research – the social and academic systems. Secondly, a case is
made that students’ structural positions in the social and academic networks can be related to
their grade achievement in the course.

Relaterade länkar

DidaktikKognition/MinneNaturvetenskapUniversitet och högskola
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forskningsinstitutet Ifous

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