Promoting Evidence-Based Change in Undergraduate Science Education: Levers for Systemic Change Ann E. Austin Erickson Professor of Higher, Adult, and Lifelong.

Slides:



Advertisements
Similar presentations
Preparing to be a Faculty Member: What Do I Need to Know about Faculty Work? CIRTL Cast Ann E. Austin Professor, Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education.
Advertisements

Looking to the Future: Changes, Challenges, and Opportunities for the Professoriate… and Considerations for CIRTL Ann E. Austin Michigan State University.
III. Demonstrated skills in teaching and learning... Curriculum Vitae University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, Wisconsin Your Name i)Ability to.
Integrating the NASP Practice Model Into Presentations: Resource Slides Referencing the NASP Practice Model in professional development presentations helps.
Promotion and Tenure Workshop for MUSM Faculty A Faculty Development Opportunity Mercer University School of Medicine 2012.
Impact of the evaluations and follow-up activities M. Assunção, 13 October 2008 EUA Institutional Evaluation Programme, Workshop for Universities: round.
1 Improving School Leadership - Guidelines for Country Background Reports - Education and Training Policy Division Directorate of Education.
April 6, 2011 DRAFT Educator Evaluation Project. Teacher Education and Licensure DRAFT The ultimate goal of all educator evaluation should be… TO IMPROVE.
Barriers and Enablers to Technology- Enhanced Learning What can Universities do to encourage innovative teaching? Steve Williams - Newcastle University.
1 Faculty Leadership Development Programs at Virginia Tech Peggy Layne, P.E., Director, AdvanceVT.
1 GETTING STARTED WITH ASSESSMENT Barbara Pennipede Associate Director of Assessment Office of Planning, Assessment and Research Office of Planning, Assessment.
Mellon Library/Faculty Fellowship for Undergraduate Research Elizabeth Dupuis, University of California, Berkeley
CRICOS Provider No 00025B Strategies for enhancing teaching and learning: Reflections from Australia Merrilyn Goos Director Teaching and Educational Development.
Institutional Accreditation Review Christine M. Ladisch Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Getting Prepared:
Quality Assurance Review Team Oral Exit Report School Accreditation Bayard Public Schools November 8, 2011.
CLASS PROJECT: CAREER PATHWAYS CSD 509J Mid-Year Update.
 The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is a voluntary, non-governmental, membership association that is dedicated to quality assurance and.
Introduction to Organizational Communication Applications of Organizational Communication Chapter Eleven This multimedia product and its contents are protected.
Meeting SB 290 District Evaluation Requirements
Franklin University Dr. Lewis Chongwony, Instructional Designer
Creating Our Future: UConn’s Path to Excellence Open Forum March 26, 2014.
What is a Learning Advisor and what do they do? October 2009 LEARNING SOLUTIONS.
Stages of Commitment to Change: Leading Institutional Engagement Lorilee R. Sandmann, University of Georgia Jeri Childers, Virginia Tech National Outreach.
Evaluation and Research: Dual Purpose Data Collection Ann E. Austin Professor, Michigan State University ADVANCE PI Meeting March 5, 2013.
Strategies for Effecting Gender Equity and Institutional Change: Lessons from ADVANCE Institutions Ann Austin & Sandra Laursen AAC&U Annual Meeting-- January.
This series of five presentations has the following goals: Presentation III A Discussion with School Boards: Raising the Graduation Rate, High School Improvement,
Staff Development and the Change Process
Thomas College Name Major Expected date of graduation address
Institutional Change and Sustainability: Lessons Learned from MSPs Nancy Shapiro & Jennifer Frank CASHÉ KMD Project University System of Maryland January.
Leading Change. THE ROLE OF POLICY IN CHANGE Leading Change – The Role of Policy Drift to Quantitative Compliance- Behavior will focus on whatever is.
NOVA Evaluation Report NOVA Evaluation Report
National Science Foundation 1 Evaluating the EHR Portfolio Judith A. Ramaley Assistant Director Education and Human Resources.
Re-envisioning Teacher Preparation: Stage II September 16, 2011.
Liberal Education and America’s Promise: Changing the Conversation about Student Success and Institutional Accountability SHEEO—Denver, CO August 2009.
© 2011 Partners Harvard Medical International Strategic Plan for Teaching, Learning and Assessment Program Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Center Strategic.
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING Phase I Educational Partnership: Climate Change, Engineered Systems and Society  Initial Partners: NAE, U VA – Charlottesville,
BUILDING CAPACITY THROUGH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP DR. SANDRA J. MOORE DR. ROBERT C. MCCRACKEN RADFORD UNIVERSITY COLLEGE.
Transnational Consortia: Responding to the Challenge of Global Higher Education.
SACS-CASI Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement FAMU DRS – QAR Quality Assurance Review April 27-28,
Preparing and Evaluating 21 st Century Faculty Aligning Expectations, Competencies and Rewards The NACU Teagle Grant Nancy Hensel, NACU Rick Gillman, Valporaiso.
AAU Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative Tobin Smith AAU Vice President for Policy ISSUES Workshop January 30, 2014.
Chapter 4 Developing and Sustaining a Knowledge Culture
New Perspectives on Engineering Education and the Job Market: Challenges, Opportunities Dr. Samir AL-Baiyat Dean, College of Engineering Sciences, King.
Transforming Patient Experience: The essential guide
EPMS (Employee Performance Management System) Training FOR NON-SUPERVISORS FACILITATOR: ADRIAN WILSON NOVEMBER 17 AND 19.
NOVA Evaluation Report Presented by: Dr. Dennis Sunal.
Assessing Teacher Effectiveness Charlotte Danielson
August 15th 2007 Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes by Kirby Hayes.
Quality Assurance Review Team Oral Exit Report School Accreditation AUTEC School 4-8 March 2012.
Quality Assurance Review Team Oral Exit Report School Accreditation Center Grove High School 10 November 2010.
Mentoring and Teaching Pat Rogers, Associate Vice President: Teaching and Learning Wilfrid Laurier University Annual Academic Administrators Workshop Balsillie.
Quality Assurance Review Team Oral Exit Report School Accreditation Sugar Grove Elementary September 29, 2010.
Presents: Information for participants: Your microphone will be muted for the formal presentation. If you cant hear, try running the Audio Set Up Wizard.
Chapter 10 Learning and Development in a Knowledge Setting
Faculty Well-Being: What is it, Can it survive, and Why does it matter? Ann E. Austin Michigan State University and National Science Foundation AAC&U Annual.
Coffee County School System Sept A Vision for Public Education in Georgia.
2007. Faculty of Education ► Staff 300 (incl.100 in Teacher training school) ► 20 professorships ► 80 lecturers ► 9 senior assistants ► 12 assistants.
Documentation and Assessment of Scholarship in Extension and Engagement: A National Perspective Amy Driscoll Associate Senior Scholar Carnegie Foundation.
CSWE Overview This resource highlights key aspects of the mission of the Commission on Research and its goals for the next 5 years. It will then.
Successful K–12 STEM Education Identifying Effective Approaches in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Committee on Highly Successful Schools.
Cal Poly Pomona University Strategic Plan 2011 ‐ 2015 Partial Assessment of Progress Presented to the University Strategic Planning Committee (USPC) 12/4/2014.
ASCCC Cultural Competency and Advocacy Plan Update Cleavon Smith, Berkeley City College Carolyn Holcroft, Foothill College.
1 Vanderbilt University Name: Vanderbilt TAR Fellows Program Persons responsible: Thomas R. Harris, Derek Bruff, Jean Alley Time Commitment: Introductory.
Note: In 2009, this survey replaced the NCA/Baldrige Quality Standards Assessment that was administered from Also, 2010 was the first time.
External Review Exit Report Campbell County Schools November 15-18, 2015.
Learning Without Borders: From Programs to Curricula
Taking a Systems Approach to Change in Undergraduate STEM Education
Teaching Excellence & the Career Map
The Heart of Student Success
February 21-22, 2018.
Presentation transcript:

Promoting Evidence-Based Change in Undergraduate Science Education: Levers for Systemic Change Ann E. Austin Erickson Professor of Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education Michigan State University MSU STEM Education Alliance Meeting December 11, 2014

The Challenge An array of reports provide evidence that undergraduate STEM education could be improved by using results from research on learning and teaching to inform pedagogical practice in the STEM fields. Yet change in undergraduate education—and the practice of faculty members– does not occur easily.

Key Questions What factors relate to reforming undergraduate STEM education? What are barriers and levers for change? What does a systems approach to organizational change suggest about how to encourage faculty to adopt evidence- based teaching practices?

Complex Organizations Higher education institutions are complex organizations. Thus: –Multiple factors simultaneously influence faculty members’ choices about teaching practice –Linear, single lever approaches to change are unlikely to be adequate –Change requires the use of multiple levers across multiple contexts

Barriers to Reform in Instructional Practice in STEM Undergraduate Education Faculty members are situated in contexts that affect how they do their work, including teaching. Because many forces affect them, a single approach to encouraging change in practice is not enough. Fairweather (2008): “research evidence of instructional effectiveness is a necessary but not sufficient condition…” for faculty to change their teaching practice

College/ Department Faculty Member Institution External Context Reward Systems Work Allocation Professional Development Leadership Practices Employers Government Scholarly Associations Accrediting Organizations Systems Approach to Understanding Faculty Members’ Teaching-Related Decisions

Faculty as Individuals: Relevant Factors Beliefs, values, and experiences Doctoral socialization Discipline and career stage Nature of appointment Motivation –Knowledge, self-efficacy, perception of rewards

Contexts: Institutional Contexts Different institutional types and missions Institutional priorities affect faculty members’ decisions about time and energy devoted to teaching Potential Barriers

Contexts: Departments Immediate context for faculty work –Work assignments are allocated –Initial context for evaluation Departmental characteristics that relate to faculty teaching behaviors –Priorities of department chairs –Curricular structures—sequencing, curricular content, gate-keeping role –Class size and physical arrangement –Decisions about teaching assignments/ TAs

Contexts: External Employers Government Organizations Accrediting agencies –Ex: ABET Scholarly associations

College/ Department Faculty Member Institution External Context Reward Systems Work Allocation Professional Development Leadership Practices Employers Government Scholarly Associations Accrediting Organizations Systems Approach to Understanding Faculty Members’ Teaching-Related Decisions

Levers for Change —or Potential Barriers Work Allocation/ Time Reward Systems Professional Development Leadership Practices

Lever or Barrier: Work Allocation/ Time Time to learn and implement can be a barrier for faculty (Henderson & Dancy, 2007) Faculty do not want to adopt methods that are more time consuming than traditional lectures Implication: –Strategies must be easy to use, adaptable, and faculty must have time to learn to use them –Build time to learn and implement into teaching assignments, with accountability expectations

Lever or Barrier: Reward System Institutional messages can undermine emphasis on teaching –Pressure to do research is increasing –Publication productivity: most impact factor in T&P strongest predictor of salary –As time in class increases, salary level decreases

Lever or Barrier: Reward System Impact on Faculty of institutional messages: –Teaching becomes a less preferred option and faculty “suffice” in their teaching –Fairweather (2008): Strong argument that faculty use of newer pedagogies will be more influenced by rewards and work allocation than by data-based evidence –Implication: Faculty must not perceive time spent in developing new pedagogies as a negative factor in salary and advancement.

Lever or Barrier: Professional Development Barriers: –Faculty often don’t know research on learning and teaching and how to implement research-based teaching practices Implications: –Support for faculty learning is important –Factors that relate to effective faculty development Growth-oriented, not remedial Tailored to individual circumstances Accessible and time-effective –Examples: Learning Communities

Lever or Barrier: Leadership Practices Research emphasizes the important roles played by institutional leaders(provosts, dean, chairs) in change efforts: –Communicate institutional goals –Allocate resources –Impact tenure and promotion processes –Initiate campus conversations –Create institutional teams –Provide symbolic support

Implications for Improving Undergraduate STEM Education Faculty work in complex systems in which many factors facilitate, impede, and influence their choices about teaching practices Single-lever strategies are unlikely to result in wide-spread change in teaching Successful efforts require mobilizing multiple levers for change

Recommendation 1: Take a Systems Approach Recognize that multiple contexts affect faculty members’ decisions about their teaching behaviors Recognize the “levers for change” that can be used to change the culture of undergraduate education

Recommendation 2: Consider individual differences among faculty A new faculty member may need basic information about the new role before she is sufficiently confident to try new teaching approaches. A highly research-active senior faculty member may need support from TAs to find enough time. Someone committed to evidence-based teaching may need assurance that time invested in this work is valued.

Recommendation 3: Reward Systems as a Lever of Change Current reward systems undermine interest in teaching Leaders can help… –Initiate campus-wide conversations about teaching innovation –Include teaching excellence more fully in evaluation and reward systems –Avoid penalizing those trying new approaches

Recommendation 4: U se Professional Development as a Lever of Change Make professional development widely attractive –Time-effective; various formats Promote easy and effective strategies –Emphasize easy active learning strategies Build networks

Recommendation 5: Use Leadership Practices as a Lever for Change Chairs and faculty leaders can develop leadership skills that cultivate institutional cultures where teaching is valued and innovation is rewarded Leaders can seek out ongoing opportunities to develop leadership skills

Recommendation 6: Preparation of Future Faculty as a Lever for Change Assess the messages sent to future faculty Prepare future faculty Who understand learning processes and evidence- based teaching practices and value effective teaching as part of their career aspirations

Reforming undergraduate education requires… Recognition of the multiple factors affecting faculty work Analysis of the system in which teaching, research, and learning occur Use of multiple levers to encourage and support change Strategic and dedicated leaders

College/ Department Faculty Member Institution External Context Reward Systems Work Allocation Professional Development Leadership Practices Employers Government Scholarly Associations Accrediting Organizations Systems Approach to Understanding Faculty Members’ Teaching-Related Decisions

Selected Relevant References Austin, A. E. (2011). Promoting Evidence-Based Change in Undergraduate Science Education. Paper commissioned by the Board on Science Education of the National Academies National Research Council. Washington, D.C.: The National Academies. [ Fairweather, J. (1996). Faculty work and public trust: Restoring the value of teaching and public service in American academic life. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Fairweather, J. (2005). Beyond the rhetoric: Trends in the relative value of teaching and research in faculty salaries. Journal of Higher Education, 76, Fairweather, J. (2008). Linking evidence and promising practices in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate education: A status report for the National Academies National Research Council Board on Science Education. Commissioned Paper for the National Academies Workshop: Evidence on Promising Practices in Undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education. Gappa, J. M., Austin, A. E., & Trice, A. G. (2007). Rethinking faculty work: Higher education’s strategic imperative. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Henderson, C., & Dancy, M. H. (September, 2007). Barriers to the use of research- based instructional strategies: The influence of both individual and situational characteristics. Physical Review Special Topics- Physics Education Research, v. 3. Kezar, A (2001). Understanding and facilitating organizational change in the 21 st century: Recent research and conceptualizations. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report, 28 (4). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Contact Information Ann E. Austin Erickson Professor, Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education 419A Erickson Hall 620 Farm Lane Michigan State University East Lansing, MI Tel: