How Can University Leadership Promote Change in Undergraduate STEM Education?

1. How Can University Leadership Promote Change in Undergraduate STEM Education? Thomas J. LeBlanc Vision and Change in Biology Undergraduate Education AAAS Annual Meeting/ August 2013

2. The University of Miami A private comprehensive research university • 11 schools and colleges on 3 campuses including • Miller School of Medicine • College of Arts & Sciences • College of Engineering • Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Sciences

3. The University of Miami (cont.) • Approximately 15,000 students • 10,000 undergraduate students • 5,000 graduate and professional students • A diverse student body • 28% Hispanic • 8% African American • 12% Asian or Pacific Islander • 50% White

4. “The Times They Are a-Changin’ ” • Interdisciplinary entry level science courses • Competency-based science curriculum • Student-centered learning in the classroom • Evidence-based teaching • Authentic research in intro laboratory courses • Emphasis on “relevant” quantitative skills • Institutional commitment to change

5. What can institutional leaders do? • Identify and support faculty leaders • Provide release time and summer support for faculty • Grant “credit” for innovative strategies (e.g. team teaching) • Support professional development opportunities • Sustain innovative programs over time

6. Provost Dean Department Chair STEM Curricula Reform for Persistence and Diversity Faculty

7. Persistence and Diversity • Student Engagement • Tools to Excel • Diverse Pathways

8. Student Engagement: Authentic Research in HHMI Introductory Biology Labs • Each lab is led by a three-person team • Students work in four teams of six students • Each team designs and conducts a research project

9. HHMI Introductory Biology Labs Strongly agree Strongly disagree

10. Student Engagement: How can leadership help? • Renovated or construct undergraduate laboratories suitable for group projects • Provided graduate student support for the labor-intensive team-teaching approach • Reduced teaching assignments for research faculty involved in the labs

11. Tools to Excel: PRISM Curriculum • PRISM is a science and math curriculum developed at UM • Integrates basic science and math courses within block scheduling • Teaches science at an advanced level with a focus on quantitative skills • Provides students with hands-on opportunities with new technologies and cutting-edge methods

12. Tools to Excel: How can leadership help? • Created a faculty committee with strong institutional leadership to develop new approach • Provided summer support for PRISM faculty to design new curriculum • Encouraged department chairs and faculty to support new curriculum

13. Diversify Pathways: An Institutional Partnership with Miami Dade College MDC is the largest and most diverse college in the U.S. • Nearly 70,000 full-time students • Eight campuses • Diverse student body • 71% Hispanic • 18% African –American • 8% White

14. Pathways to the future Non-science PhD (1.4%) JD (2.7%) PhD (22.0%) MD/PhD(1.4%) MS (13.7%) Other DDS (4.1%) MD (34.0%) PharmD (5.5%) N = 98

15. Diversify Pathways: What can leadership do? • Waived tuition for high school transition course taught at UM by MDC/UM Faculty • Waived tuition for MDC Bridge Scholars to take HHMI labs at UM • Waived tuition for MDC Bridge Scholars who transfer to UM after MDC

16. Challenges to Change • Overcoming faculty and institutional inertia • Reexamining teaching/research balance • Protecting and nurturing early-career faculty • Training faculty in evidence-based teaching • Finding time (faculty) and money (labs) • Having courage to fail • Increasing communication among institutions