<br/>Introductory STEM courses pose various challenges to both students and faculty regardless of the mode of delivery. In Spring of 2020, many institutions implemented a rapid transition to online instruction, making both teaching and learning in these courses even more challenging. We engaged in a study to investigate the challenges faced by faculty and their perspectives in implementation of active learning pedagogy specifically for virtual recitations.<br/> <br/>Based on previous research, recitations in gateway STEM courses are an essential part of instruction (Udoetuk, 2016; Tsui, 2007; Rios, 2017; Phillip, 2013). In addition, many publications have outlined the utility of active learning pedagogy in undergraduate science courses (Freeman, 2014; Baker & Dannant, 2020;Crimmins, 2017). Furthermore, when active learning pedagogy is utilized with high fidelity of implementation, achievement gaps narrow for students from underrepresented groups (Freeman, 2020). Facilitating active learning pedagogy with high fidelity during in person instruction poses its own challenges.Thus, our study focused on surveying and interviewing faculty who continued to use active learning pedagogy and evidenced based practices in transitioning their face-to-face recitations to synchronous remote teaching.  We wanted to gather qualitative information based on the survey and semi-structured faculty interviews about specific elements that were maintained, elements lost, and challenges faced in the transition. The study includes faculty who are courses coordinators, recitation instructors, and lecturers overseeing and/or teaching recitations. I will share our initial findings from our on-going study investigating chemistry faculty perspectives on the  fidelity of implementation after transitioning courses online at a large, research-intensive, state university.

Impact on fidelity of implementation of active learning recitations in gateway STEM courses: A survey of chemistry faculty perspectives

ACS Fall 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.