Views from students and professors in a nonmajor introductory physics course: What is interdisciplinarity?

Abstract

We present an investigation into the interdisciplinary role of physics in a physics-for-nonphysicists course at Pomona College. This work is guided by prior research into introductory physics for life science (IPLS) courses, but attends to significant differences in the scope and context of this course. We interviewed enrolled students, physics professors, and professors from nonphysics disciplines to explore the function of this course and the role of physics in the education of nonphysics science students. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed, then analyzed to identify emergent themes. These themes outline the authentic physics, including content knowledge and other, broader learning objectives, that play an important and distinct role in the science education of enrolled students. Stakeholders generally align in their emphasis of interdisciplinary relevance with some divergence in the specific articulation of that idea. The differences can be understood through the stakeholders’ distinct areas of expertise, with nonphysics professors expressing value through relevance to their discipline and physics professors focusing on essential aspects of physics.