Graduate Program Reform in One Department of Physics and Astronomy: From Tragedy to More Progressive Policies and an Evolving Culture

Autor/inn/en	Barthelemy, Ramón; Lenz, MacKenzie; Knaub, Alexis; Gerton, Jordan; Sandick, Pearl
Titel	Graduate Program Reform in One Department of Physics and Astronomy: From Tragedy to More Progressive Policies and an Evolving Culture
Quelle	In: Physical Review Physics Education Research, 19 (2023) 1, Artikel 010102 (23 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Barthelemy, Ramón) ORCID (Lenz, MacKenzie) ORCID (Knaub, Alexis) ORCID (Gerton, Jordan) ORCID (Sandick, Pearl)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Schlagwörter	Physics; Science Instruction; Educational Change; State Universities; College Admission; Graduate Students; Policy Formation; Student Attitudes; Teacher Attitudes; College Faculty; Administrator Attitudes; Departments; Evidence Based Practice; Teaching Methods; Suicide; Undergraduate Students; Astronomy; Teaching Assistants; Academic Advising; Doctoral Students; Feedback (Response); Curriculum Development; Science Tests; Testing; Utah + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Physik; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Bildungsreform; Staatliche Universität; Hochschulzugang; Hochschulzulassung; Zulassung; Graduate Study; Student; Students; Aufbaustudium; Graduiertenstudium; Hauptstudium; Studentin; Politische Betätigung; Schülerverhalten; Lehrerverhalten; Fakultät; Department; Abteilung; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Selbstmord; Astronomie; Akademischer Rat; Doctoral studies; Doctorate studies; Doctoral candidate; Doktorandenprogramm; Schüler; Schülerin; Doktorand; Doktorandin; Curriculum; Development; Curriculumentwicklung; Lehrplan; Entwicklung; Testdurchführung; Testen
Abstract	In 2017 the University of Utah experienced a tragedy which catalyzed already active changes in the department. In the aftermath, admissions to the graduate program was paused while new policies were developed and implemented. This article outlines this change process through the perspectives and accounts of those involved. Through in-depth interviews with students, staff, faculty, and administrators the process of change was found to be a complex path that involved robust practices of gathering input. This input was considered by a centralized group (the executive committee) advising the department chair and administrators. Findings indicated that the collective desire to reopen the program inspired most faculty to work together to find solutions, while some stakeholders did not fully buy in to large-scale programmatic changes. Further, interviews revealed the persistence of deep cultural challenges after the development and implementation of new policies. A new metaphor for this change is suggested to be a bonfire, as a tragedy sparked the fire of change structures which had already been built, and continual fuel is needed to sustain these changes. Moving forward the department is extending their graduate reform into undergraduate initiatives and normalizing evidence-based teaching practices. Content warning: This paper discusses the death by suicide of a graduate student. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	American Physical Society. One Physics Ellipse 4th Floor, College Park, MD 20740-3844. Tel: 301-209-3200; Fax: 301-209-0865; e-mail: assocpub@aps.org; Web site: https://journals.aps.org/prper/
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01