"Strategic and Steady Can Win the Race": Incremental Exposure to Novel Multidisciplinary Pedagogies in STEM Fields Can Help Change Faculty "Teaching and Learning" Attitudes and Practices.

Kirtman, Nisaa; Smith, Cary; Demeritte, Teresa; Divinity, Debra; Amouzandeh, Vida; Fordham, Jo Anne; Fadavi, Mehri

Evidence-based pedagogies to improve student success in STEM disciplines are now recognized, but their successful incorporation can be hampered by faculty wariness of novel pedagogical research. To support these pedagogies' effective implementation, a research team at a southeastern Historically Black College and University (HBCU) provided its faculty with long-term (2013–2020), incentivized professional development (PD) in STEM subjects, focused on faculty teaching development (TD). Over 6 years, PD/TD experts provided faculty participants with theoretical underpinnings and student outcome data, demonstrated hands-on strategies for under-prepared and differential learners, and addressed concerns that novel pedagogies could erode STEM-subject standards. Participants reflected on their teaching and learning foundations, examined their approaches and assumptions, and implemented new strategies. Interview and survey findings showed long-term, multidisciplinary STEM PD can help change faculty teaching views, even among those initially resistant. Although beyond our study window, ICFAIM collaborations yielded two DOE-funded faculty-developed interventions and team cohesiveness during the pandemic's shift to online instruction. ICFAIM evidence supports PD/TD that is: 1) designed to build on shared standards and knowledge; 2) provided incrementally over time; 3) focused on topics of concern to faculty alongside new ones; and 4) fairly incentivized.

TEACHER development; CAREER development; HISTORICALLY Black colleges & universities; EDUCATIONAL evaluation; ONLINE education

Journal of College Science Teaching, 2024, Vol 53, Issue 6, p573

0047-231X

Academic Journal

10.1080/0047231X.2024.2390301