Next Thursday (4/11), Lu Shi will lead a discussion on the barriers and drivers of instructional change in STEM departments at UNL.
National initiatives to improve undergraduate science education build upon decades of research and development of effective instructional practices supported by federal and non-profit agencies. These evidence-based instructional practices (EBIPs) promote students’ conceptual understanding and attitudes toward science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), with the greatest impacts observed among women and members of underrepresented groups. By improving retention rates and attracting a more diverse student population to the sciences, these practices can help address the national need to educate STEM-literate graduates and advance workforce development goals. The challenge is fostering their effective use on a national scale.
During the discussion, we will review research describing STEM faculty’s knowledge and use of EBIPS as well as barriers and drivers of instructional change. Together we will brainstorm how these findings relate to our experiences here at UNL and identify strategies that we could employ in our department or unit to enhance the instruction provided to our students.
Time: 2-3 pm on Thursday, 4/11
Place: 109 Bessey Hall