The difficulties associated with integrating computation into undergraduate physics

TL;DR

This paper explores the challenges faced by physics educators in integrating computation into undergraduate courses and examines how the PICUP community supports overcoming these barriers.

Contribution

It identifies and categorizes the barriers to computational integration in physics education and evaluates the role of PICUP workshops in facilitating this process.

Findings

Identification of departmental resistance as a barrier

Perceived student resistance to computational activities

PICUP workshops help overcome integration challenges

Abstract

From a department being resistant to change to students not buying into the new computational activities, the challenges that are faced with integrating computation into the physics undergraduate curriculum are varied. The Partnership for Integration of Computation into Undergraduate Physics (PICUP) aims to expand the role of computation in the undergraduate physics curriculum. The research presented in this paper is part of a larger project examining the role of the PICUP workshop in facilitating both the integration of computation into classrooms and developing a supportive community to support this integration. An important part of providing the necessary supports for integration is understanding and categorizing the problems members of this community of integrators face when integrating computation in their courses. Through individual and group interviews, we discuss the barriers to integration that new and experienced community members of PICUP have experienced in the past or perceive could exist in the future.