Faculty as Agents of Change – Group 2Professional development

workshopscenters for teaching and learningPFF and GTA programs

Creating curriculainterdisciplinary courses are emergingcurricular “threads” link courses across departmentsV&C concepts and competencies used in curricular design

Inspirational pedagogies student-centered learning increases!learning communities

Value and limitations of technology widespread use of clickers, course management systems

requirement for networked projectsflipped classrooms, simulations, e-portfolios

Depth vs. breadth dilemma – solved??Integrating authentic research experiences into curricula

Issues of scale – multi-institutional, single campus, mentoredBroadening participation – promoting future faculty

continuing importance of federal programs (LSAMP, MARC, McNair)cultural changes in departments

Recommendations: the three R’s

Rewards

Resources

Relationships (community)

Where’s the roadmap?

Topical Areas and Key Findings

• How Biology is Learned and Taught is Changing: Implications for Professional Development

• Students are Learning Biology by Doing Science

Recommendations

• Foster Community Building

• Support Professional Development Tailored to Each Constituency

• Recognize, Disseminate, and Sustain Pedagogies that Align with Vision and Change

Roadmap for the Future

• Foster Community Building• Continue Using Vision and Change

Recommendations as a Blueprint• Support Professional Development Tailored to

Each Constituency• Different Solutions for Different Groups

• Recognize, Disseminate, and Sustain Pedagogies that Align with Vision and Change• Continue Funding Transformative Activities

Findings Faculty as change agents, Group #4

• Vision & Change recommendations have catalyzed significant reform efforts, but faculty/instructional staff need support to continue the initial momentum.

• Teaching reform is not incentivized or valued in the same way as research productivity at many institutions

• Professional development opportunities and classroom pedagogy resources are available, but are often still difficult for faculty to find and evaluate

Recommendations and road map

• Incentivize, motivate, and reward change• Funding agencies should require evidence of changes

in tenure/faculty reward structure tied to funding for research

• Mini/micro-grants from prestigious funding agencies for improving teaching

• Certification program to recognize departments – PULSE

• Utilize teaching rubrics to help faculty recognize need for change

Recommendations and road map

• Facilitate, incentivize professional development• Establish institutional/regional communities of practice,

especially around assessment• Develop/utilize existing rubrics for recognizing student-

centered learning• Connect faculty with Centers for Teaching and Learning• Model “good teaching”

• Curate pedagogical resources• PULSE toolkit and online workshops• CourseSource• Professional societies focus on specific content, larger group

maintain curated repository

Key Findings

Professional development is essential for change Creating a culture of change, providing

infrastructure Change the conversation: It’s not depth

vs. breadth, it is critical thinking vs. factual recall

Recommendations

1. EBIPD: Early, Better, and Iterative Professional Development

2. Build intra- and cross-institutional networks (including between 2- and 4-year colleges)

3. Incentivize Change

Roadmap

1. Creating a culture early-on via iterative, face-to-face opportunities for grads/post-docs, established faculty to get training in teaching; professional development through professional societies

2. Internship exchange program; inviting outside experts; PROF: Peer Reciprocal Observation Feedback (no-stakes); Protocol for college level teaching observations

3. Micro-grants from reputable funding sources; AAAS/PULSE stamp of approval or certification for faculty/departments; publications; recognition