Section 3.5 Aspects of implementing the new plan that went well
In spite of these challenges and surprises, the PI perceived the implementation of the new plan as going well. Key aspects were both individual, in getting to learn new math in new contexts, and departmental, in renewed faculty participation in the upper division curriculum meetings.
Learning new math myself.
By being involved now in every junior-level physics course, the PI has become more familiar with topics not previously taught:
I'm finding that I am learning new math myself which is always delightful and new ways in which math is related to the physics, which has been particularly true with (a colleague's) class this past week.
This has involved writing online materials as well as designing class activities and homework problems in these new contexts.
Enjoying faculty talking substantively about content during upper-division curriculum committee meetings.
One aspect of the early design and implementation of the Paradigms in Physics program was vigorous faculty discussions during upper-division curriculum committee meetings. This committee had been meeting regularly throughout the academic year for two decades but had become less focused. Recent meetings, however, had been invigorating:
We're really happy that the groups are returning to talking substantively about the content and also learning how to share the content and to really be able to talk about “this isn't fitting into this course very well, can it fit into some other course?”
These kinds of conversations are helpful if the faculty as a whole is to embrace a new plan.