The Innovative Science Teaching Institute at Broward College: A College-Wide Effort to Improve Student Success, Learning, and Minority Achievement in Introductory Science Courses

Broward College, Fort Lauderdale FL

Investigators

Abstract

This is a 2-year pilot of an institutional transformation program. The pilot will prepare 6 full-time STEM faculty and 10 part-time adjunct STEM instructors to shift to evidence-based teaching. The 6 faculty will redesign their courses during a 6-week summer professional development institute. The new innovative approaches to teaching science courses will be disseminated to 10 adjunct faculty, also through the use of summer workshops. A particular strength of the project is its unique theory of change that includes the part-time adjunct instructors as a central element of its transformation plan. This college already provides professional development opportunities to adjunct instructors through the Adjunct Faculty Institute. Because many community colleges depend significantly on part-time adjunct instructors, this model is important to develop and investigate. The participating faculty and instructors will be supported by learning assistants. The learning assistants will be drawn from former students who have already earned their degrees and are working as tutors at the Broward Academic Success Center. The work will be guided by an advisory committee that includes external experts. The project will be assessed to determine the impact of the course redesign effort on student success and student learning. The project will also investigate how changes in student behaviors and attitudes are related to improved learning and grades and how those relationships vary with the type of undergraduate student.