PhD defence by Bjørn Friis Johannsen
The Department of Science Education announces the public defence of the Phd dissertation: "Attrition and Retention in University Physics. A longitudinal qualitative study of the interaction between first year students and the study of physics" by Bjørn Friis Johannsen.
Principal supervisor: Associate professor Camilla Rump, Department of Science Education, University of Copenhagen
Co-supervisor: Professor Ian Bearden, The Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen
The defence is followed by a reception hosted by the department. Please contact study secretary Nadja Nordmaj if any questions regarding the defence.
Assessment Committee
Associate professor Lars Ulriksen (Chair), Department of Science Education, University of Copenhagen
Associate professor Valery Otero, School of Education, University of Colorado at Boulder
Professor Cathrine Hasse, Department of Education - Learning, Aarhus University
Short abstract
This thesis tells the story about a traditional physics programme where it was long forgotten why students are educated the way they are. A one year longitudinal interview study with 18 first year physics students uncovers the consequences for their learning. The result is that to cope, some students need to defer their need for intellectual gratification. The consequence of long term deference of intellectual gratification appears to be that initially proactively disposed students are slowly subdued and end by relying mostly on learning strategies that research reports consistently point out as strategies that cannot be associated with quality learning outcomes. The result seems to be an empirical model that points to prioritizing an aim at the evaluative practices in future reform.
Full text of dissertation
A pdf-version of the thesis accepted for defence can be downloaded through the following link
A printed and revised version of the thesis will later be published by the Department of Science Education in DSE Papers - "IND's skriftserie".