Research has clearly established that, as compared with lecture-only formats, active-learning environments foster increased student success in undergraduate science courses. Propagation of these evidence-based strategies benefits from meaningful and strategic faculty professional development for both pre-service and in-service science faculty members. This project has provided opportunities for science faculty members from two-year Hispanic-serving institutions (2Y-HSIs) and graduate students in science disciplines at a research university to participate jointly in professional development activities. These efforts include collaboration between faculty members and graduate students to design, implement and assess elements of active learning in science courses offered at the 2Y-HSIs. For each of two separate cohorts of participants, this comprehensive professional development program commenced with a three-day workshop on course transformation via backward design and subsequent establishment of a community of practice among participants and project leadership. Quantitative and qualitative research methods have been employed to investigate aspects of the project and have revealed insights into effective practices to design and execute a professional development program such as this.

Professional development endeavor to propagate the use of active-learning strategies in science courses in two-year Hispanic-serving institutions

ACS Spring 2022

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