Tor Ole Odden

Academic interests
- Creativity and self-expression in physics learning
- Computational thinking and computational literacy in physics learning
- Applications of natural language processing to educational research literature and data
- Supporting and preparing learning assistants and teaching assistants in physics
- Sensemaking in physics education
Background
Tor completed his PhD in physics education in December 2017 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His dissertation work focused how undergraduate physics students make sense of abstract or tricky physics concepts, the specific strategies they use, and how instructors can help them in that process. Tor also holds a masters in physics from UW-Madison and a bachelors in physics from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.
Awards
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Teaching Assistant Exceptional Service Award, 2016
- Milton O. Pella Science Education Graduate Fellowship, 2016-2017
- Inductee into University of Wisconsin-Madison Teaching Academy, 2017
Outside Interests
In his spare time, Tor has practiced tai chi and Bak Shaolin Eagle Claw kung fu, and is also an avid runner, skier, woodcarver, gamer, fiddle player, and gummy bear connoisseur.
Publications
- Odden, Tor Ole & Malthe-Sørenssen, Anders (2021). Using computational essays to scaffold professional physics practice. European Journal of Physics. ISSN 0143-0807. 42(015701) . doi: 10.1088/1361-6404/abb8b7 Full text in Research Archive.
- Odden, Tor Ole & Burk, John (2020). Computational Essays in the Physics Classroom. The Physics Teacher. ISSN 0031-921X. 58(April), s 252- 255 . doi: 10.1119/1.5145471 Full text in Research Archive.
- Odden, Tor Ole; Marin, Alessandro & Caballero, Marcos Daniel (2020). Thematic analysis of 18 years of physics education research conference proceedings using natural language processing. Physical Review Physics Education Research. ISSN 2469-9896. 16 . doi: 10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.16.010142 Full text in Research Archive.
- Odden, Tor Ole & Caballero, Marcos Daniel (2019). Computational Essays: An Avenue for Scientific Creativity in Physics. Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings. ISSN 1539-9028. . doi: 10.1119/perc.2019.pr.Odden Full text in Research Archive.
- Odden, Tor Ole; Lockwood, Elise & Caballero, Marcos Daniel (2019). Physics computational literacy: An exploratory case study using computational essays. Physical Review Physics Education Research. ISSN 2469-9896. 15(2), s 020152 . doi: 10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.15.020152 Full text in Research Archive.
- Odden, Tor Ole & Russ, Rosemary (2019). Defining sensemaking: Bringing clarity to a fragmented theoretical construct. Science Education. ISSN 0036-8326. 103(1), s 187- 205 . doi: 10.1002/sce.21452
- Odden, Tor Ole & Russ, Rosemary (2019). Vexing questions that sustain sensemaking. International Journal of Science Education. ISSN 0950-0693. 41(8), s 1052- 1070 . doi: 10.1080/09500693.2019.1589655 Full text in Research Archive.
- Odden, Tor Ole & Russ, Rosemary (2018). Recurring questions that sustain the sensemaking frame. Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings. ISSN 1539-9028. s 1- 4 . doi: 10.1119/perc.2018.pr.Odden Full text in Research Archive.
- Odden, Tor Ole & Russ, Rosemary (2018). Sensemaking epistemic game: A model of student sensemaking processes in introductory physics. Physical Review Physics Education Research. ISSN 2469-9896. 14(2), s 020122-01- 02012-16 . doi: 10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.14.020122 Full text in Research Archive.
- Sand, Odd Petter; Odden, Tor Ole; Lindstrøm, Christine & Caballero, Marcos Daniel (2018). How computation can facilitate sensemaking about physics: A case study. Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings. ISSN 1539-9028. s 1- 4 . doi: 10.1119/perc.2018.pr.Sand Full text in Research Archive.
- Odden, Tor Ole & Russ, Rosemary (2017). "Charges are everywhere": A case of student sensemaking about electric current. Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings. ISSN 1539-9028. s 280- 283 . doi: 10.1119/perc.2017.pr.065 Full text in Research Archive.
- Odden, Tor Ole; Yadav, Aman; Tellefsen, Cathrine Wahlstrøm & Caeli, Elisa Nadire (2020). Integrating Computing into K-16 Education: Scaffolding Teacher and Student Learning in STEM Disciplines. Annual Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, ITiCSE. ISSN 1942-647X. s 517- 518 . doi: 10.1145/3341525.3393961
- Fyhn, Marianne; Malthe-Sørenssen, Anders; Mørken, Knut Martin; Nederbragt, Alexander Johan; Odden, Tor Ole & Sundnes, Joakim (2019). Beregningsorientering og utdanningsutvikling.
- Lauvland, Anders; Odden, Tor Ole; Bøe, Maria Vetleseter & Henriksen, Ellen Karoline (2019). Learning assistants' transformed views on teaching and the teacher role after a training program.
- Odden, Tor Ole (2019). Computational Literacy and Computational Essays at the University of Oslo.
- Odden, Tor Ole & Malthe-Sørenssen, Anders (2019). Computational Essays and Computational Literacy at the University of Oslo.
- Odden, Tor Ole (2018). Grokking: The Endpoint of Sensemaking.
- Odden, Tor Ole & Russ, Rosemary (2018). Vexing Questions that Sustain Sensemaking.
- Sand, Odd Petter; Odden, Tor Ole; Lindstrøm, Christine & Caballero, Marcos Daniel (2018). How computation can facilitate sensemaking about physics.