Title: Rethinking What it Means to be Underprepared in Physics
Abstract: Dominant narratives in introductory physics education often focus on student preparation in mathematics. Students who have not reached a certain level of proficiency as determined by math placement tests are often labeled as underprepared. In this presentation, I will challenge this narrative by reframing the notion of underprepared. Indeed, many physics departments and instructors are underprepared to support the students accepted into their institutions. The Transforming Introductory Physics Sequences to Support all Students (TIPSSS) Network is a network of physicists developing curricular materials, transforming courses, and research the effectiveness of these efforts to help departments meet the needs of their physics students, regardless of the students’ prior mathematics preparation. I will present and overview of the TIPSSS activities and also preliminary findings from the TIPSSS studies.