Beliefs and Context Intersect with Faculty Intentions and Ability to Implement CUREs

STEM fields are experiencing an ongoing retention crisis. Using evidence-based teaching (EBT) practices can improve education, contributing to higher retention and belonging in STEM. Instructors however are often not trained in EBT. Professional development (PD) can expose, train, and support instructor efforts to make progressive curricular choices.

We developed a PD opportunity in inclusive EBT, specifically supporting the development of course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs). CUREs can benefit students and instructors, but can be time-consuming and require dedicated institutional support. We were interested in how instructors perceived the PD opportunity and what factors would inhibit or facilitate them implementing a CURE. Our approach was informed by the Teacher-Centered Systemic Reform (TCSR) model, which posits that instructors' personal and contextual factors, as well as beliefs on teaching and learning influence instructional practices.

Sixteen interdisciplinary instructors at one institution participated in compensated PD with a 4-day summer workshop and bimonthly meetings. We conducted pre/post workshop surveys and semi-structured interviews. Interview transcripts were coded iteratively using inductive and deductive approaches. All assessments were developed to test elements of the TCSR at it relates to CURE PD.

Results revealed that even within the same university and a shared PD experience, instructor perceptions, beliefs, and enactment of EBT practices varies widely. Four instructor archetypes emerged from the data which spanned two continuums: 'perceptions of support' and 'desire for community' – these factors contributed to both satisfaction and action. Junior and seasoned instructors tended to cluster separately along archetypal axes, and trends by gender emerged. Encouragingly, the majority of instructors across archetypes (n=11) have since taught a CURE or are prepared to teach a CURE in an upcoming term. The emergent archetypes could help us understand salient personal and contextual factors influencing the successes and pitfalls instructors face in developing and implementing EBT practices such as CUREs.