Invisible Work in Introductory Physics Lab Groups

Introductory physics labs are key for student preparation, habit forming, and operate as identity forming spaces. Physics lab groups are also small social units which must delegate and complete a variety of tasks--making sociology theories of labor and its division potentially applicable. Physics education research (PER) has increasingly turned its attention toward issues of diversity, equity and inclusion, with significant work dedicated to addressing distributions of labor in lab groups, what kinds of lab tasks are seen as "doing physics," and how these may be related to the persistent gender gap in the field of physics. However, little has been done to systematically connect this growing body of knowledge within education and the sciences to existing sociology literature. In this work, we apply Invisible Work theory, which was coined and characterized by Northwestern sociologist Arlene Kaplan Daniels in 1987, to the inquiry-based physics lab course context. According to the theory, tasks of social construction and care are in danger of not being considered skilled, effortful, or useful. We use this theory to offer insight into the mechanisms and effects we observe, as well as potential solutions in the form of instructional practices.