The Impact of the DATA Lab Course Transformation on Student Epistemological Beliefs about Experimental Physics

In response to the national call from the PER community to focus on student engagement within the physics laboratory, the Michigan State University physics department has recently transformed its algebra-based, introductory physics laboratory curriculum. This newly transformed course, Design, Analysis, Tools, and Apprenticeship (DATA) Lab, emphasizes the development of experimental skills and laboratory practices and provides students with an authentic physics laboratory experience. In this presentation, we will discuss the differences in how students perceive experimental physics between the context of the traditional laboratory course and the newly developed DATA Lab. In both courses, data was collected pre- and post-instruction via the Colorado Learning Attitudes and Science Survey for Experimental Physics (E-CLASS). Results showed a significant difference in post-test scores between the traditional laboratory and the transformed DATA Lab with the transformed course having a higher percentage of expert-like responses. Item-level statistics were also analyzed and results showed the largest post-test difference between the two courses for the E-CLASS items that were directly aligned with the DATA Lab learning goals.