Improving Undergraduate Instruction in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Report of a Workshop (2003) / Chapter Skim
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1 Introduction
1 Introduction
Pages 1-9
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Of empirical research showing that These were some of the questions learning can be enhanced when college that prompted the NRC's Committee on instructors incorporate teaching strafe- Undergraduate Science Education gies that are student-centered, interac tive, and structured around clearly stated measurable learning outcomes. A crucial question, then, is why introductory science courses in many colleges and universities still rely primarily on lectures and recipe-based laboratory sessions where students memorize facts and concepts, but have little opportunity for resection, discus(CUSE)
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To investigate how departments and institutions of higher learning might use such a framework to assess their STEM programs, workshop participants were instructed to identify qualities of organization, governance, anti incentive structures at the departmental and institutional levels that promote quality STEM education, and to consider how such qualities could be used to create a set of indicators and benchmarks for the evaluation of institutions and departments. As an initial step in thinking about appropriate measures of undergraduate learning in SIEM (lisciplines, workshop participants were asked first to identify a few "exemplary" programs that were known by reputation to be effective in achieving (lesire(1 learning outcomes.
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, workshop participants focused their discussions on the personality traits of faculty as well as the qualities of organization, governance, and incentive structures at departmental and institutional levels that promote effective SfEM education. They also discussed institutional characteristics that are barriers to the implementation of effective instruction.
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The report advances the argument for increased collaboration among faculty and administrators and provides illustrative examples of effective collaborative efforts. The rest of this section provides background to the body of research supporting the concerns of the steering committee and raises additional questions that prompted the development of this workshop.
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sciences toward business, technical, and health fields." These students, those still selecting science and technology and many who pursue fields outside of science or technology, are require(1 to take college science courses at the introductory level. The rise in number and diversity of students intensifies the need for faculty to see introductory courses for both majors and nonmajors as a critical part of the undergraduate curriculum.
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, workshop participants consi(lere(1 how an instructor might be encouraged to provide opportunities for students to become actively involve(1 in creating new un(lerstandings. Recent evidence suggests that students who sit passively in lectures for an entire course may fail to replace their prior misconceptions with new knowle(lge; the conceptual (lifficulties they have when they enter a course are likely to persist if instruction (toes not a(l(lress their (lifficulties specifically (King, 1994; Mestre, 1994; Loveru(le et al., 2002; Marchese, 20021.
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15~. Role of AcacIemic Departments in Improving Teaching Effectiveness The personal experiences of a number of workshop participants confirmed that the current culture of many science I NTRODUCTION and engineering departments is one that values the productive investigator more than the effective teacher.
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Eleven experts in STEM education and/or institutional reform accepted invitations to present at the workshop as a means of informing the committee and catalyzing discussion among attendees. Additional experts were assigned as facilitators to two breakout sessions.
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It outlines some of those outcomes defined as most important by the workshop participants. Chapter 3 I NTRODUCTION identifies characteristics and indicators that can be included in a comprehensive evaluation instrument for rating exemplary SfEM instructional programs (question a)
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