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Moderator: Thomas Kling, Bridgewater State University

An Instructional-Teams Project for Supporting Instructional Reform

Karie Lattimore, University of Arizona

The Instructional-Teams Project (I-TP) at the University of Arizona (NSF DUE-1626531) supports high-quality active-learning instruction in large-enrollment STEM courses through building high-functioning instructional teams with diversified roles and high-quality instructional tasks that create opportunities for formative assessment of student thinking. The I-TP has leveraged institutional-level change initiatives and instructional resources to directly support instructors’ use of evidence-based instructional practices in their classrooms. Since Spring 2017, 38 instructors from 19 different departments have participated in the project, representing a significant impact on students across campus. To better characterize how I-TP participation influenced instructors’ practice, we followed up with instructors on their motivations and goals for participating in the I-TP, and how participation has led to instructional change. Participants include those teaching in-person, asynchronous online, and synchronous remote, giving us insight into how the I-TP has impacted ways instructors implement instructional change with the support of instructional teams in different teaching modalities. The I-TP has also looked at ways instructor participation in the project has impacted student outcomes across the whole student body of a course, as well as among under-represented populations.

Equity and Inclusion Practices of a Large Diverse Chemistry Discipline at a Young Public College

Chantelle Anfuso, Georgia Gwinnett College

Patrice Bell, Georgia Gwinnett College

Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) is a public, four-year liberal arts college that first opened its doors in 2006. Starting with a single chemistry faculty member at that time, the chemistry discipline at GGC now benefits from a large, diverse faculty body, consisting of 39 full-time and over 10 part-time faculty members. Establishing a new chemistry discipline afforded unique opportunities to build an inclusive faculty culture, including practices that promote equitable opportunities for professional development, workload allocation, and leadership positions to all faculty levels. This report will highlight some of the impactful practices incorporated into the discipline, including: inclusive faculty searches; equal opportunities for all full-time faculty to teach at all levels of the curriculum; a collaborative method of determining the teaching schedule each semester; democratic decision-making protocols; shared governance leadership structures; and a set of Chemistry Bylaws which explicitly outline the policies and procedures for each of the aforementioned practices. The theme behind many of the inclusive practices discussed here is a democratic and collective approach to decision-making, which allows all faculty to participate in building the type of culture, curriculum, and future that they want to see for both students and faculty at GGC. These practices have also afforded ample leadership opportunities for junior faculty, female faculty, and faculty identifying with historically excluded racial and ethnic groups. This diverse, engaged faculty body is in turn very active with on-campus student organizations and off-campus community organizations that promote diversity and inclusivity for future scientists.

Departmental Pathways to Antiracist Pedagogy

Amy Elizabeth Johnston, Framingham State University

Santosha Adhibhatta, Framingham State University

It has been well established that antiracist pedagogies improve student success and increase retention especially among students of color and minorities. A STEM racial equity workshop sponsored by the HHMI has been conducted for faculty in the college of STEM at Framingham State University during Summer 2020 and 2021, where two members of the faculty from the Environment, Society, and Sustainability Department took part over the past two years. Faculty workshops within the Department have also been conducted post these workshops. We discuss in detail, the inclusive and anti-racist practices and pedagogical changes that were adopted by several faculty members within the department post the departmental discussions. We hope that such departmental reforms will reduce DFW rates and improve the retention of underrepresented students in our fields.

Addressing Departmental Climate and Culture as a Gateway to Reforming the Curriculum of a Teaching-Focused Department in a Research-1 Institution

Brandon Campitelli, Texas Institute for Discovery Education & University of Texas Austin

Sara Stewart Stevens, University of Texas Austin

Higher education institutions are investing in extensive curriculum redesign efforts that rely on faculty to collaboratively develop a shared vision, and better align curriculum to this vision. While well-intentioned, such efforts are often undertaken without an appreciation of the complexity of the change process and may stall in departments without support for the cultural changes involved. Here, we present on a curriculum redesign effort that initially stalled because of an internal culture of scarcity and individualism. Recently, this department has shown signs of substantial improvement by centering cultural reform through community building at the heart of their curriculum redesign effort.