Chapter 1 Overview
¶A major restructuring of the upper division physics program occurred about two decades ago when the faculty at that time decided to reform both the content and pedagogy of the traditional upper level courses for majors (See Part III: Initiating the Paradigms in Physics Program: 1996-2005). Over the subsequent decade many changes had occurred as new faculty joined the department (See Part IV: Sustaining the Paradigms in Physics Program: (2006-2015). The charge of the 2.0 Paradigms in Physics committee was to begin reconsidering the upper division physics program and to make recommendations to the physics faculty for changes that would better reflect the current faculty's perspectives and students' needs.
During winter and spring terms 2016, this small faculty committee surveyed current faculty and student perspectives, conducted a detailed review of the current junior and senior curriculum, developed a set of proposals for changes, and sought input from the faculty in individual consultations. Near the end of spring term, the current physics faculty voted unanimously to go forward with this proposed reform of the Paradigms in Physics program. Needing immediate attention during summer term was obtaining university approval for these changes by submitting the required forms and information to the registrar. Also of immediate concern was preparing for a faculty vote early in the fall on associated modifications to the requirements for the physics major and minor as well as for developing several new specialty courses. An on-going process, the upper-division curriculum committee meetings continued during fall term in engaging the faculty in discussing and developing plans collaboratively. A new process, shadowing, enhanced the preparation of new faculty to teach interactively in the paradigms in physics courses.