IGE: Building practical, evidence-based teaching capacity in tomorrow's doctorates

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

Future faculty can expect that they will instruct students from many diverse populations. While access to college science education has democratized, the methods used to teach these diverse cohorts of students are not always aligned with evidence-based best practices. This project implements and evaluates a training approach for future faculty that leverages best practices in inclusive science teaching within a multi-stage practical experience. This National Science Foundation Innovations in Graduate Education (IGE) award to the University of Washington will make use of the best features of top professional development models to innovatively prepare future professors for the unique challenges of teaching college STEM courses. The undergraduate students that the participating graduate students will teach will join the workforce having more than basic memorized knowledge: they will also understand scientific practice, know how to apply scientific thinking and generate scientific questions, and be prepared to partake in a more diverse and effective scientific community. This project balances cutting-edge teacher development within the constraints of modern graduate work to develop dual expertise in science and teaching. Practice of active teaching skills will help trainees develop classroom tools and teaching approaches that put engaging work in the hands of their students. Rapid feedback from expert instructors, outside consultants, test classrooms, and their own video analysis will further their development as teachers capable of effectively employing methods far beyond simple passive lecturing. While developing a syllabus around their own cutting-edge research, trainees will be guided through challenges in a teaching course centered on diversity and equity for all students. When ready, trainees will teach their own mentored courses to college seniors as a starting point for careers that include ambitious and equitable teaching of science. These courses will introduce undergraduates directly to current research in their field of study as taught by the scientists actively doing the work. Success of the training for each graduate instructor will be investigated and communicated through interviews with students, student project work, and professional evaluation by expert instructors in the field. Collectively, these results will inform the overall evaluation of the training approach. The Innovations in Graduate Education (IGE) program is focused on research in graduate education. The goals of IGE are to pilot, test and validate innovative approaches to graduate education and to generate the knowledge required to move these approaches into the broader community. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.