Reforming Undergraduate STEM Education The AAU Initiative

Tobin SmithAAU Vice President for PolicyNSF S-STEM Projects MeetingCrystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, VirginiaOctober 16, 2012

AAU & its History in STEM Education- Boyer Commission Report, 1998 “Reinventing Undergraduate Education: A Blueprint for America’s Research Universities”

- Undergraduate Research Pilot Study, 2001- Standards for Success, 2003 “Understanding University Success"

- Informal Survey of STEM Retention Programs at AAU Universities, 2010- AAU Undergraduate STEM Initiative, 2011

Recent ReportsPresident’s Council of Advisors on Science

& Technology (PCAST): Engage to Excel Report

National Research Council (NRC): Discipline-Based Education Research Report

Mission StatementThe goal of the AAU Undergraduate STEM

Education Initiative is to help influence change in the culture of STEM departments at AAU universities so that they will use evidence-based, student-centered, active, sustainable pedagogy in their classes, particularly at the freshman and sophomore levels.

Rationale Workforce needs → Competitiveness

Desire for a scientifically-literate population

New scholarship on what works in the classroom: evidence-based teaching methods

Several AAU institutions are already at the forefront of improving STEM undergraduate education

Problems

STEM completion rates not good

Research universities don’t produce as many STEM majors as other colleges and universities

Evidence-based teaching methods are not widely adopted. Why?

Teaching (and learning) are not effectively evaluated and rewarded

Key ComponentsFramework (Goal #1)

Demonstration Projects (Goal #2)

Incentives (Goals #3 and #4)

Promising Practices (Goal #5)

Framework [Goal #1]What is the Framework?A menu of evidence-based practices that can be used to improve STEM teaching and to measure these improvements. Core Component Pedagogy

Who will use it?The framework is designed to be used by several different stakeholders including: Faculty Administrators Departments Institutions

How will it be used? The framework is usable along several dimensions:

To improve teaching and learning in the classroom To coordinate courses within the department To determine how broadly evidence-based techniques are being used

Out with the old…

In with the new…

Demonstration Projects [Goal #2]A subset of AAU institutions will be identified to serve as demonstration sites that will implement the framework.

Activities will include implementing practices to:

Improve the quality of teaching and learning in STEM classes

Determine if and how evidence-based teaching methods are being used

Measure the effects of using improved teaching methods on STEM and Non-STEM majors

Vs.

Preliminary Demonstration Site Criteria Presidents/Chancellors must make a public commitment to

serving as a demonstration site. Institutions must contribute substantial resources to the

demonstration project and provide a plan for sustainability. Institutions must include at least 3 departments with some

rational connection within their demonstration projects. Respected senior faculty within participating departments

must be engaged. Institutions must include assessment within their

demonstration projects.

Incentives [Goals #3 and#4]FEDERAL INSTITUTIONAL

Work with federal agencies on mechanisms to encourage good teaching Explore institutional and

departmental incentives for good teaching

Including:◦ Working with Cottrell Scholars, HHMI

professors and others on identifying and disseminating promising practices for evaluating teaching in promotion and tenure

PULSEPartnership for Undergraduate Life Science Education

Promising Practices [Goal #5] To develop effective means for sharing information about promising & effective undergraduate STEM

programs, approaches, and methods.

Key ProjectsPromising Practices Resource Booklet &

Workshop Program Evaluation Techniques

Undergraduate STEM Education Reform

Graduate Student Training

Recruitment/Retention of Women and

URM

Course Content/

Curriculum

Areas of STEM Reform

• Pedagogy

• Faculty Development

• Future Faculty Development (graduate student training)

• Institutional/State/Federal Policy

• Course content/curriculum

• K-12 Teacher Development

• Workforce Development

• Recruitment/retention of underrepresented student populations in STEM (including women and minorities)

Organizations Addressing These Areas of Need: Association of Public Land-grant Universities (APLU)

◦ K-12 Teacher Development

Business Higher-Education Forum (BHEF)◦ Workforce Development

Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL)◦ Faculty Development and Policy

Association of American Universities (AAU)◦ Pedagogy

Disciplinary Societies◦ Faculty development and curriculum

Many others…

PedagogyCourse

Content/Curriculum

Broader Institutional Policies and

Practices Workforce Development Faculty Development

Graduate Student Training/Future

Faculty Development

Retention of Women, Minorities

and other Under-re presented groups

in STEMK-12 Teacher Development

Research Universities

Comprehensive and Liberal Arts

Colleges

Minority Serving

InstitutionsCommuni ty

Colleges IncentivesDe monstration

ProjectsWorkshops/Forums/

Conferences/Seminars Frame work Course Re-designResearch

Study

Association of American Universities (AAU): Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative l l l l l l

Association of Public Land-grant Universities (APLU): Science and Mathematics Teacher Impe rative (SMITI) l l l l l

Association of Public Land-grant Universities(APLU): Minority Male STEM Initiative l l l l lAssociation of Public Land-grant Universities(APLU)/American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)/Ope n Learning Initiative (OLI): Cognitive Course wares Design l l l l l l

Busi ne ss Higher Education Forum (BHEF): STEM Higher Education Workforce Projects l l l l l

Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI): Society of HHMI Professors l l l l l

Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL) l l l l l l

Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL): Framework for Institutional Effective ness in STEM Learning l l l l l l

Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL): Leadership for 21st Century STEM l l l l l l

Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL): STEM Student Transfer Success l l l l l l

Bay View Alliance (BVA) l l l l l

Reinvention Center l l l l

Visi on and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education l l l lUniversity of Texas-Austin/U-Teach Institute/National Math & Science Initiative (NMSI): U-Teach Program l l l l

American Physical Society: Support Programs for Undergraduate Instruction l l l l l l l lAmerican Association of Community Colleges (AACC): Advanced Te chnical Education Program l l l l

Target Institutions Mechanisms for ImplementationPrimary Area(s) of Emphasis

Thank youTobin Smith

Vice President for PolicyAssociation of American Universities

toby_smith@aau.edu Phone: 202-408-7500

Website: www.aau.edu