AAU Undergraduate AAU Undergraduate STEM InitiativeSTEM Initiative

Tobin SmithAAU Vice President for Policy

Mission StatementMission Statement

The goal of the AAU Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative is to help influence change in the culture of STEM departments at AAU universities so that they will use evidence-based, student-centered, active, sustainable pedagogy in their classes, particularly at the freshman and sophomore levels.

The Motivation…The Motivation…

The Five Minute University

RationaleRationale Workforce needs → Competitiveness

Desire for a scientifically-literate population

New scholarship on what works in the classroom: evidence-based teaching methods

Several AAU institutions are already at the forefront of improving STEM undergraduate education

ProblemProblem Completion

Broad based literacy

Research universities don’t produce as many STEM majors as other colleges and universities

Key ComponentsKey ComponentsFramework (Goal #1)

Demonstration Projects (Goal #2)

Incentives (Goals #3 and #4)

Promising Practices (Goal #5)

Framework [Goal #1]Framework [Goal #1]

Out with the old…Out with the old…

In with the new…In with the new…

Demonstration Projects [Goal #2]Demonstration Projects [Goal #2]A subset of AAU institutions will be identified to serve as demonstration sites that will implement the framework.

Activities will include developing tools to measure:The quality of teaching and learning in STEM classes

How evidence-based teaching methods are being used

The effects of improved teaching on STEM and Non-STEM majors

Vs.

Incentives [Goals #3 and#4]Incentives [Goals #3 and#4]FEDERAL INSTITUTIONAL

Work with federal agencies on mechanisms to encourage good teaching Explore institutional and

departmental incentives for good teaching

Including:◦ Working with HHMI and

others on promising practices for evaluating teaching in promotion and tenure

Promising Practices [Goal #5] Promising Practices [Goal #5]

To develop effective means for sharing information about promising & effective undergraduate STEM

programs, approaches, and methods.

Key ProjectsPromising Practices Resource Booklet & Workshop Program Evaluation Techniques

Other Parallel EffortsOther Parallel Efforts Association of Public Land-grant Universities (APLU)

Business Higher-Education Forum (BHEF)

Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL)

Bay View Alliance (BVA)

Many others…

PedagogyCourse

Content/Curriculum

Broader Institutional Policies and

Practices Workforce Development Faculty Development

Graduate Student Training/Future

Faculty Development

Retention of Women, Minorities

and other Under-represented groups

in STEMK-12 Teacher Development

Research Universities

Comprehensive and Liberal Arts

Colleges

Minority Serving

InstitutionsCommunity

Colleges IncentivesDemonstration

ProjectsWorkshops/Forums/

Conferences/Seminars Framework Course Re-designResearch

Study

Association of American Universities (AAU): Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative l l l l l l

Association of Public Land-grant Universities (APLU): Science and Mathematics Teacher Imperative (SMITI) l l l l l

Association of Public Land-grant Universities(APLU): Minority Male STEM Initiative l l l l lAssociation of Public Land-grant Universities(APLU)/American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)/Open Learning Initiative (OLI): Cognitive Coursewares Design l l l l l l

Business Higher Education Forum (BHEF): STEM Higher Education Workforce Projects l l l l l

Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI): Society of HHMI Professors l l l l l

Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL) l l l l l l

Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL): Framework for Institutional Effectiveness in STEM Learning l l l l l l

Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL): Leadership for 21st Century STEM l l l l l l

Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL): STEM Student Transfer Success l l l l l l

Bay View Alliance (BVA) l l l l l

Reinvention Center l l l l

Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education l l l lUniversity of Texas-Austin/U-Teach Institute/National Math & Science Initiative (NMSI): U-Teach Program l l l l

American Physical Society: Support Programs for Undergraduate Instruction l l l l l l l lAmerican Association of Community Colleges (AACC): Advanced Technical Education Program l l l l

Target Institutions Mechanisms for ImplementationPrimary Area(s) of Emphasis

Complementary ReportsComplementary Reports

President’s Council of Advisors on Science & Technology (PCAST): Engage to Excel Report

National Research Council (NRC): Discipline-Based Education Research Report (Expected mid-2012)

DiscussionandQ&A