What is interdisciplinarity? Views from students and professors in a non-major intro physics course

Abstract

We present an investigation into the interdisciplinary role of physics in a physics-for-non-physicists 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 non-physics disciplines to explore the function of this course and the role of physics in the education of non-physics-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 non-physics professors expressing value through relevance to their discipline and physics professors focusing on essential aspects of physics.