SusanElrod,ProjectKaleidoscopeatAAC&U

(andCalPoly)

October28,2011
CalPoly,SanLuisObispo
Na#onalTrendsinUndergraduate
STEMEduca#on:
Na#onalVisionandLocalChange
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h;p://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12764
VisionandChangeinBiologyEducaHon
RecommendaHonsfor
change
Learningoutcomes
Research-basedteaching/
learning
AuthenHcassessment
Note:RevisionstoAP
Biology(andother
sciences)
hQp://visionandchange.org
FromtheReport:RecommendaHons
1. IntegrateCoreConceptsandCompetencies
throughouttheCurriculum
E.g.,Denelearninggoalssothattheyfocusonteachingstudentsthecore
concepts,andalignassessmentssothattheyassessthestudents
understandingoftheseconcepts.
2. FocusonStudent-CenteredLearning
E.g.,ViewtheassessmentofcoursesuccessassimilartoscienHc
research,centeredonthestudentsinvolved,andapplytheassessment
datatoimproveandenhancethelearningenvironment.
3. PromoteaCampus-wideCommitmenttoChange
E.g.,Advocateforincreasedstatus,recogniHon,andrewardsfor
innovaHoninteaching,studentsuccess,andothereducaHonaloutcomes.
4. EngagetheBiologyCommunityintheImplementaHon
ofChange
E.g.,Encourageallbiologiststomovebeyondthedepthversusbreadth
debate.Lessreallyismore.
HealthProfessionsPreparaHon
ScienHccompetenciesin
chemistry,physics,biology,
psychology,mathforpre-
medstudents
ImplicaHonsforforthcoming
MCATrevisionin2015
ImplicaHonsforlowerdivision
undergraduatepre-med
curriculum
hQp://www.hhmi.org/grants/pdf/08-209_AAMC-HHMI_report.pdf
FromtheReport:Competencies
E1:Applyquan%ta%vereasoningandappropriatemathema%csto
describeorexplainphenomenainthenaturalworld.
E2:Demonstrateunderstandingoftheprocessofscien%cinquiry,and
explainhowscien?cknowledgeisdiscoveredandvalidated.
E3:Demonstrateknowledgeofbasicphysicalprinciplesandtheir
applica%onstotheunderstandingoflivingsystems.
E4:Demonstrateknowledgeofbasicprinciplesofchemistryandsomeof
theirapplica%onstotheunderstandingoflivingsystems.
E5:Demonstrateknowledgeofhowbiomoleculescontributetothe
structureandfunc%onofcells.
E6:Applyunderstandingofprinciplesofhowmolecularandcell
assemblies,organs,andorganismsdevelopstructureandcarryout
func?on.
E7:Explainhoworganismssenseandcontroltheirinternalenvironment
andhowtheyrespondtoexternalchange.
E8:Demonstrateanunderstandingofhowtheorganizingprincipleof
evolu%onbynaturalselec%onexplainsthediversityoflifeonearth.
MCATRevision
FourtestsecHonsandreportfour
scores:
Molecular,Cellular,andOrganismal
ProperHesofLivingSystems
Physical,Chemical,andBiochemical
ProperHesofLivingSystems
BehavioralandSocialSciencesPrinciples
CriHcalAnalysisandReasoningSkills
Testexamineesknowledgeand
useoftheconceptsinbiology,
chemistry,physics,biochemistry,
cellular/molecularbiology,
researchmethods,andsta%s%cs
ratedasmostimportantto
enteringstudentssuccess.
hQps://www.aamc.org/iniHaHves/mr5/
Testexamineesknowledgeand
useoftheconceptsinbehavioral
andsocialsciences,research
methods,andsta%s%csthat
examinesthebehavioraland
socio-culturaldeterminantsof
health.
Testexamineesabilitytoanalyze
andreasonthroughpassagesin
ethicsandphilosophy,cross-
culturalstudies,popula%on
health,andawiderangeofsocial
sciencesandhumani%es
disciplinestoensurethenecessary
criHcalthinkingskills.
hup://www.herl.ucla.edu/nlh/PL8l_8esearch8rlef_CL_2010_S1LM.pdf
!"#$%&'()*+,-./'0%1%,&+$'2/1-3*3%'4!(025''67(8'63*)9
TheSTEMPipelineIssue:OneView
TheSTEMIssue:AnotherView
STEMjobswillconHnuetobe
indemand,secondonlyto
healtcare;but,STEMmajors
arebeingdivertedtonon-
STEMjobs
DemandforSTEMtalentwill
growinnon-STEMprofessions;
thosewithSTEMcompetencies
haveincreasedearningpower
WomenandminoriHesaresHll
underrepresentedinSTEMjobs
hQp://cew.georgetown.edu/STEM/
TheSTEMIssue:AnotherView
25%fromK-12
YetAnotherView:ScienHcLiteracy
Miller,J.,(2010)AdultScienceLearningintheInternetEra,Curator53(2):191.
Miller,J.Conceptualiza?onandMeasurementofCivicScien?cLiteracyinScienceandthe
EducatedAmerican.Cambridge,MA:AmericanAcademyofArtsandSciences.2010.
28%of
U.S.Adults
2008
1987
College-levelcourseworkisprimarypredictorofcivicscien#cliteracy.
TheBiggerPicture:PreQyBleak
Mathprociencyofcollegestudentsmarginal
5%offreshmenprocient;10%ofseniors(ETSdata)
Mathprociencydoesntchange(CAAPtestdata)
ARtudesregardingquan#ta#veliteracyincreasemoderately
36%increaseinposiHveamtude;53%nogrowthordecline(Wabash
NaHonalStudy)
Desiretocontributetosciencesdoesntchangemuch
21%increaseoverfouryears(WabashNaHonalStudy)
16.9%offreshmen;20%ofseniors(CollegeSeniorSurvey)
Measuresofreading,wri#ngandcri#calthinkingarenotany
be;er[seealso,AcademicallyAdriO(Arum&Roksa,2011)]

[Source:Finley,A.(2011)MakingProgress?:WhatAssessmentDataTellsUsAbout
LiberalEduca?onOutcomes.Washington,DC:AAC&U]
ThelargestgaininlearningproducHvityin
STEMwillcomefromconvincingthelarge
majorityofSTEMfacultythatcurrentlyteaches
bylecturingtouseanyformofacHveor
collaboraHveinstrucHon.

--JamesFairweather(2009)ReporttotheNa?onalAcademies
BoardonScienceEduca?on
HoellwarthandMoelter(2011)AmericanJournalofPhysics79(5):540.
30%
NSSESTEM/non-STEMAnalysis
GoodNews:Paritywithnon-STEMstudentsin
acHve/collaboraHvelearningandstudent-faculty
interacHons
BadNews:STEMstudentsreportfewer
experienceswithhigherorder,integraHveand
reecHvelearningthannon-STEMcounterparts

[Source:NelsonLaird,etal.(2011)PeerReview13(3):23-26]
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Discussion:DriversandGoals
IssuesandDriversforChange:
Whichoftheseissuesarerelevantdriversfor
advancinglifescience(STEM)educaHonatCalPoly?
Whatareotherimportantissuesordrivers?
WherearetheregapsoropportuniHes?

Discussion:Drivers
Goals(fromV&C,p.22):
Whatknowledgeandskillsarerelevanttothe
subjectarea/course/program?
Whatdoprociencyandmasteryinthesubject
areaslooklike?Howdoesdemonstrated
competencylooklike?
WhatevidencewouldIacceptthatastudenthas
achievedprociency,masteryorcompetency?
CurriculumDesign(V&CReport)
TheHHMINEXUSisacollaboraHveprojectbetweenUMBC,
TheUniversityofMarylandCollegePark,theUniversityof
MiamiandPurdueUniversity
TheoverallgoalistocreateaninventoryofinstrucHonal
modulesand/orcurriculabasedontheSFFPcompetencies
thatcanbesharednaHonallyasopensourcematerials.
NEXUS
Na#onalExperimentinUndergraduateScienceEduca#on
fundedbythe
HowardHughesMedicalInsHtute
UndergraduateHHMIChemistry
Curriculum(PurdueModel)
General
Chemistry
(1semester)
Organic
Chemistry
(2semesters)
Biochemistry
(1semester)
Goals
Anewphysicssequenceforbiologystudentsthatwill
Coverthebasicphysicsneededforbiologystudentsto
mastertheuseofphysicsinintroductorybiologyclasses
andlearnaddiHonalrelevantphysicsinadvancedbiology
classes
FocusonbuildingscienHccompetenciesasoutlinedin
theSFFPreport(2009)
UsetopicsinphysicsthatareauthenHctobiologyand
medicineandthatbothmoHvatestudentsandhelpthem
understandtheroleofbasicphysicsprinciplesinbiology
HaveahighlevelofcoordinaHonamongthescienHc
disciplinesofbiology,chemistry,physics,andmathemaHcs
Discussion:StrategiesforSuccess
WhatarethenextstepsthattheBiology
Department(oryourdepartmentorCOSAM
)shouldtaketoadvanceundergraduate
educaHon?
Whatnextstepswillyoutakeinyourown
course(s)toimprovestudentlearningand
success?
Howwillyoumeasuresuccessinreachingnew
goals?

OnLeadership,Managementand
Change
Strongleadershipcanhelpcreatethevision,
setthetoneoftheclimate,emphasizethevaluesthataremostcriHcal,
andbuildtrustamongpeople.

StrongmanagementensuresthattheappropriateexecuHonof
funcHonsandfollow-throughareenabledthroughassessment.

However,changingthecultureistheenginethatdrivestransforma#on.
Source:FREEMANA.HRABOWSKIIII,JACKSUESS,ANDJOHNFRITZ
AssessmentandAnaly?csinIns?tu?onalTransforma?on
EDUCAUSEReviewMagazine,Volume46,Number5,September/October2011

ProcessforBuildingandInsHtuHonalizingInterdisciplinaryPrograms
Thisoverallprocess
takes5-10years.
hQp://www.aacu.org/pkal/interdisciplinarylearning/index.cfm
ProjectKaleidoscope(PKAL)
NaHonalorganizaHon
dedicatedtoadvancing
whatworksin
undergraduateSTEM
educaHon
Crossdisciplinary
communityofnearly7,000
peopleatover1,000
colleges,universiHes,and
organizaHons
AssociaHonofAmerican
Colleges&UniversiHes
(AAC&U)aliaHon
hQp://www.aacu.org/pkal