2019 Webinars
Envisioning the Future of STEM Education: The National Academies' Roundtable on Systemic Change in Undergraduate STEM Education
December 4, 2019 at 1:00 pm PT | 2:00 pm MT | 3:00 pm CT | 4:00 pm ET
Presenters: Ann E. Austin (Michigan State University), Noah Finkelstein (University of Colorado Boulder), and Kerry Brenner (The National Academies)
The Roundtable on Systemic Change in Undergraduate STEM Education is a group of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine that brings together national experts and thought leaders representing the full spectrum of stakeholders in higher education. They coordinate and catalyze actions that advance the common goal of improving undergraduate STEM learning experiences. Linking existing reform efforts in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education allows reformers to learn from each other and leverage each other's work. Using evidence-based approaches and building on successful reform efforts, the roundtable works to expand access, increase equity, and support quality learning experiences for all learners. Their work examines changes in technology, workforce, demographics, and society to determine optimal ways for the system of higher education to respond to the current and future needs of the nation to have a scientifically literate public and a well-prepared STEM workforce. This webinar will highlight forces the Roundtable sees impacting the future of undergraduate STEM education, present information on some of the key themes the Roundtable has identified as central to progress in improving undergraduate STEM education, and invite input from webinar participants on their own related initiatives and their suggestions for future Roundtable work.
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Collaborative Dynamics in Collective STEM Reform Initiatives
October 24, 2019 at 10:00 am PT | 11:00 am MT | 1:00 pm CT | 2:00 pm ET
Presenter: Lucas B. Hill (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Reform efforts in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education increasingly rely on collaboration from diverse stakeholders to achieve collective change goals. The basic premise is that initiatives can achieve more collectively than through individual siloed reform efforts. Yet, despite recent efforts to frame and even model productive collaboration (e.g., Collective Impact and networked improvement communities), our understanding of how to build collaborative STEM reform initiatives among diverse partners is still rather nascent (though certainly growing). In this webinar, the author will present the Dimensions of Collaborative Dynamics Framework, which identifies the key elements, related to motivation, group norms and processes, support resources, and leadership, that collaborative STEM reform initiatives need to pay attention to in advancing their collective change goals. The framework is the result of a synthesis of three decades of multidisciplinary research and literature regarding complex multi-institutional and multi-sector collaboration and partnerships.
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Spreading Evidence-Based Instructional Practices: Leveraging Peer Observation for Institutional Change
May 30, 2019 at 9:00 am PT | 10:00 am MT | 11:00 am CT | 12:00 pm ET
Presenters: Stephanie Salomone, Heather Dillon, Eric Anctil, Tara Presholdt, and Valerie Peterson (University of Portland)
Evidence that active, student-centered learning in STEM classrooms contributes to desired student outcomes has now accumulated to compelling levels. However, promoting and supporting widespread use of new practices is challenging, even amongst practitioners open to such changes. One contributing factor is the fact that a majority of instructional change efforts focus on only a small portion of the instructional system, while true transformation requires systemic reform. Successful institutional change initiatives have been shown to involve common features: they involve ongoing interventions, align with individuals' beliefs, and work within the existing landscape of institutional values. In this webinar, participants will be introduced to a new theory to support instructional change in undergraduate mathematics that incorporates a new dimension – instructor peer observation – in an existing model for institutional change (the CACAO model), thereby aligning with evidence regarding what supports effective change. An exemplar will be given to illustrate how this theory might be realized in practice.
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Transforming Engineering Education Through the NSF Revolutionizing Engineering Departments (RED) Program
May 16, 2019 at 10:00 am PT | 11:00 am MT | 12:00 pm CT | 1:00 pm ET
Presenter: Julie Martin (National Science Foundation)
The National Science Foundation's Revolutionizing Engineering Departments (RED) program currently funds 19 projects that are designing revolutionary new approaches to engineering and computer science education, ranging from changing the canon of engineering to fundamentally altering the way courses are structured to creating new departmental structures and educational collaborations with industry. A common thread across these projects is a focus on organizational and cultural change within the departments, involving students, faculty, staff, and industry in rethinking what it means to provide an engineering program. Beginning with the FY19 solicitation, too catalyze revolutionary approaches, while expanding the reach of those that have proved efficacious in particular contexts, the RED program will support two tracks: RED Innovation and RED Adaptation and Implementation (RED-A&I). RED Innovation projects will develop new, revolutionary approaches and change strategies that enable the transformation of undergraduate engineering education. RED Adaptation and Implementation projects will adapt and implement evidence-based organizational change strategies and actions to the local context, which helps propagate this transformation of undergraduate engineering education. Projects in both tracks will include consideration of the cultural, organizational, structural, and pedagogical changes needed to transform the department to one in which students are engaged, develop their technical and professional skills, and establish identities as professional engineers. The focus of projects in both tracks is on the department's disciplinary courses and program. During this webinar, program director Dr. Julie Martin will introduce the RED program and its projects and reflect on the impact RED is having on engineering and computer science education.
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Embedding education specialists within departments to catalyze change
February 28, 2019 at 10:00 am PT | 11:00 am MT | 12:00 pm CT | 1:00 pm ET
Presenters: Warren Code (University of British Columbia) and Stephanie Chasteen (University of Colorado Boulder)
Join authors Stephanie Chasteen and Warren Code as they discuss the messages from their new (free, open-source) Science Education Initiative Handbook on how to effectively use discipline-based education specialists to facilitate change within departments. We will discuss who makes a good educational expert, what their role can be within a department, how to train and support them, and engaging faculty and departments in change.
Registration is closed.