Physics Instructor Perspectives of History in the Lab

This research investigates a potential pathway to incorporate History of Science (HOS) into physics lab instruction. Despite the many known benefits of HOS, such as improved understanding of Nature of Science (NOS) and physics content, teachers rarely integrate it because existing barriers prevent effective implementation. However, the undergraduate lab setting may offer unique opportunities for HOS, as the goals of lab instruction and HOS align and the known barriers may be reduced. This action-based interpretive case study investigates the perspectives of introductory undergraduate physics lab instructional team members on the integration of an HOS-based lab intervention and compares the barriers of implementation to the lecture setting. Qualitative data was collected through instructor reflections, interviews, and observations and analyzed using emergent coding techniques. Findings indicate that prelab reading assignments can be an effective way to integrate HOS in physics instruction, particularly related to NOS learning objectives. Instructors feel that lab/lecture integration is needed for best implementation, but the lab specifically offers opportunities for engagement with historical context. This study has implications for physics instructional practices and curricular development, as a notable result shows that TA perspectives of HOS improve without requiring significant labor inputs.