Fostering Authentic Dialogue in the Classroom

Laird KramerSTEM Transformation Institute &

Department of PhysicsFlorida International University

Laird.Kramer@fiu.edustem.fiu.edu

The STEM Institute Team & Sponsors

Jon AndersonMaria CampitelliNicole CookIngelise GilesLeslie NisbetNick OehmVishodana Thamotharan

Justin CarmelAlexandra Coso StrongEmily DareSarah EddyJosh EllisMaria FernandezTrina FletcherEddie FullerZahra HazariMelissa McCartneyGeoff PotvinKathy Quardokus Fisher Monique RossSonia Underwood

Graduate StudentsSTEM LAs

FIUteach students&

Sponsors

FIUteachCarla AbadAdam CastilloJulie CharbonnierDeepa ChariKyriaki ChatzikyriakidouAlex KararoMatt KararoRaina KhatriNorda Stephenson

PostdocsDBER Faculty

Rocio BenabentosRemy DouHagit Kornreich-LeshemTanya MishraIdaykis RodriguezRita TeutonicoCharity Watson

Research & TeachingThanks to DBER community that developed the

practices, knowledge & wisdom that makes

this possible

Where We are Today• STEM Transformation Institute

– STEM Education Research, Practice & Engagement– Founded 2013 / Designated FIU Preeminent Program 2016

• 15 DBER Faculty – Joint hires with Departments of Biology,, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth & Environment,

Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Teaching & Learning

• ~320 undergraduate Learning Assistants (LAs) – Impacting >12,000 student enrollments / 70 faculty / 10 departments

• STEM Institute has attracted >$40M in external funding since launch (13)• 14 New Active Learning Classrooms (>1,250 total seats, range: 48-270 seats)• FIUteach: Science & Mathematics teacher preparation program• STEP UP for Women: Demonstrate Model for Equity in physics degrees• Engaged President: Chairs NASEM STEM Roundtable (+ 2 earlier committees)

Institutional Context• Public, Urban, Research University in Miami

• Founded in 1965 / First students Fall 1972

• 58,063 students Fall 2018 / going to 62,000 by ~2020

• 4th Largest in Nation

• ~80% of the students are from traditionally underrepresented groups

• Majority from South Florida / Many First Generation / ~50% transfer

• ~14,000 STEM Majors

• Carnegie R1 Institution

• “New” Institution: Opportunity to influence identity

• Demographics Represent the Future NationLab for the Future of STEM

How Did We Get Here?

• Multiple Interlocking Strategies

• Evidence-based Advocacy

• Learning Assistants: An Essential Strategy

Content: Weekly planning sessions with faculty leading the course

Pedagogy Course: LAs from all departments take a weekly course in STEM education theory and practice. Cross polination of ideas.

Practice: LAs integrated throughout classroom active learning activities

Facilitates Course Reform

The Learning Assistant Experience

• Learning Assistants facilitate learning in active learning classroom• Undergraduates: any major• Instruction is an Intellectual Endeavor• Culturally Responsive Agent that Partners with Faculty

• Faculty: Must adopt evidence-based practices to earn LAs• Institution: Instructional change model across STEM & beyond

FIU’s LA Program• Learning Assistants facilitate learning in active learning classroom

– Undergraduates: any major– Instruction is an Intellectual Endeavor– Culturally Responsive Agent that Partners with Faculty

• Institutional Change Model – Experiential Program for Undergraduates:

• Recruit for teaching careers / education advocacy for all / students flip faculty

– Embedded Faculty Development Program: • Must reform to get LAs / Drives faculty change

– Adaptive Across Lecture / Lab / Studio Courses– Impacts SUS Performance Metrics– Designed: University of Colorado Boulder / FIU Launch 2008 (PhysTEC)

• Funding: Majority Institution, strategic grant support

Evolution of FIU’s LA Program

• Fall 2018 semester:• 345 LAs• 43+ courses / 155 sections / ~70 faculty• Over 12,000 student enrollments impacted

• Largest LA Program in nation

LA Implementation Examples• Modeling Instruction in Physics (studio course)• Physics Labs:

– Open Source Tutorials (3rd Generation tutorial, epistemologically based)

• Adaptable / Instructor guide & videos– Measured Increased Learning and Positive Attitudinal Results

with Lab Reform• Mastery Math Lab:

– College Algebra: Gateway Course critical for retention• Emporium Model + LAs + Math Gyms + High Touch + Faculty Team

Approach• Launched through Title V Project, Pilot showed success, then scaled by

Administration– 30% passing to 70% passing for all students– Math Labs now serve all courses before Calculus

Modeling Instruction in Physics• Emulate practices of scientists to learn science• Studio classroom / no lecture / ~6 hours per week• Students work in groups on labs & worksheets to

develop understanding / rules of physics, present to class• Instructor facilitates student engagement & discussion of

concepts and physical phenomena.

2 Primary Modes

Circle meeting: Publishing

Activity: Lenz’s Law

Modeling Instruction: Multiple measures of success

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Odds of success ratio in MI is 6.73 higher than lecture (91% vs 52%)

Facilitates Learning Community

Consistent over multiple instructors

Physics Impact (2011)

3 Year Averages:Up >1500% since early 1990’s (143 Fa11)Undergrad population up 180% 90s-2011

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Community Measure via SNA Survey: Who do you work with to learn physics?

Recent Impact• Expanded to 96-student room in Fall 2014

– Operate as 2-4 parallel ~24 student sections– Results consistent with prior data (+ new instructors)– Cost effective >~50 students

• Survival Analysis:

– No difference in graduation Modeling vs. Traditional / W > M– Modeling provides expanded access

• Looking to offer Modeling for all that are interested

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Convincing Evidence: College Algebra

Mastery Math Lab with LAs• 30% to 70% Passing rate• Pilot to Full Scale to other Developmental Courses

LA Implementation Examples (2)

• General Biology Courses– All Active Lecture see improved pass rates

• Students with LAs in gen bio earn more As in Genetics– Hybrid (half face to face, half online)

• 10-15% increase in test scores, especially for Hispanic & Black students

53% vs 38% A’s in Genetics (follow-on course)

LA Implementation Examples (3)• Biochemistry:

– Traditional to fully flipped using LAs– The Average Grade Point Unit of the class (4.0 scale) increased from

1.45 without LAs to 2.54 with LAs.– Drop rates decreased from 30% to below 10%– Passing rates increased from 50% to 80%– Attendance increased to an average of 94% across the whole semester

(prior: attendance decreased across the semester to 50% by end)– Enrollment ~quadrupled– Faculty Scholar became crucial advocate of active learning, published,

and took on education grant leadership• General Chemistry:

– Implemented POGIL with LAs– Exam averages ~15% higher in LA sections (common exams)

LA Implementation Examples (4)• External Evaluator:

– Students with LAs in their Gateway course (i.e. Gen Bio and Gen Chem) are 1.27 times more likely to have a one-unit higher letter grade in that course.

– STEM students that take courses with LAs are 1.25 times more likely to have one letter grade higher on future courses

– Students taking courses with LAs have higher GPAs in future semesters

• General: Active Learning in Lecture Rooms– Most common across all disciplines, lower & upper division courses– Clicker Questions / Worksheets / Problems / Case studies / Coding

• Pass rate increases for mature implementation: 15-20%, up to 40%

Reflection: What Do You Think?

Why “Authentic Dialogue”?

Elements of Culturally Responsive Instruction

Gloria Ladson-Billings (1995) identified the following as characteristics of culturally responsive teachers:

– Believe all students were capable of success; students are considered “experts” along with the instructors;

– Teachers demonstrate a caring connection with all students; – Teachers create bridges, or scaffolds, to facilitate learning; – View knowledge as active, shared, recycled and constructed; not

static; knowledge must be viewed critically and questioned; – Actively develop a community of learners (with students learning from

each other as well as with the teacher); – Encourage students to learn collaboratively and be responsible for

contributing to the learning of others.

Ladson-Billings, G. 1995. Toward a theory of culturally responsive pedagogy. American Educational Research Journal, Vol. 32(3), pp. 465-491.

Drivers• Value of authentic dialogue in the classroom

– Develop scientific habits of mind in supportive environment– Make mistakes, learn how to get unstuck– Critical insight for instructor and LAs

• Role of student learning community– Motivation & persistence– Ongoing contributions and feedback, shared responsibility– Engage all students, all contribute their lived experiences– Perhaps our students will interact with humans in their career…

• Faculty: – Intellectually stimulating and rewarding (like research)

• How do we work with graduate students?– Fun– Are they part of a learning community?

LAs: Modeling Authentic Dialogue• Learning Assistant (LA): empowered undergraduate

agent prepared to facilitate learning inside the classroom– Engage students– Engage faculty…

• Opportunities:– Adaptive: integrate into new and/or deep innovations– Rapid Deployment:

• LA program materials available, many experienced leaders• Network of LA sites: learningassistantalliance.org

– Culturally responsive: near peers in the classroom– Resource appropriate:

Ecosystem of Change• LAs

– Institutional Norm– Expansion in scope and roles

• Active Learning Rooms: Campus Paradigm Shift– 2014: 96 (Modeling) + 48 (new building)– …– 2017: 270 student room (renovation)

(Secret: Facilities team likes to build interesting spaces)– Current Total: 14 Classrooms, 48-270 seats, over 1,250 total seats

• Faculty Development / Adapting Evidence-based Models / STEM Education Research

• Administration as Partners– Messaging– Restructuring teaching evaluations, incentives– Tenure & Promotion Discussions

• Position All as Incentives: “Cool” factor

How Did We Get Here?

Institutional Change Themes• People: Opportunity & Barrier

– Grass Roots + Top Administration: Relationships are Essential

• Strategic Persistence & Leveraging• Leveraging External Resources

– Research on effective practices / knowledge of what works

– Adapt Developed Curricula & Practices

– External Funding & Prestige

– Advocates: Not an expert until >50 miles from institution

• State Performance Metrics– 10 Student Success Numbers… Last year: FIU was #2

– Research Preeminence Metrics: funds added to base

• Not a simple XY Transformation: Mistakes / Adaptions

STEMtastic Future

• LAs growth continues– New disciplines: humanities– New paradigms…

• Modeling Practices of Calculus Project– Scale Up Calculus + Modeling classroom practices– Replicate practices of mathematicians– 5 year project to develop, test (include Randomized Controlled Trial),

professional development for ~100

• New Entities Launching:– Center for Lower Division for Mathematics – School of Engineering & CS Education

Potential Challenges• Deficit Model Mindset

– Blame prior teachers & parents / Instruction becomes a filter– Privilege / Myth of Meritocracy– Does active, engaged learning environment fosters student empathy?– What is the role of Deficit Model to our challenges?

• Affect in Response to Change– Role of Ego in the classroom– Role of jealousy / insecurity / fear / strategic forgetting– Manifestations present challenges: fidelity issues, inertia, …– Faculty & Chairs may devote minimal effort to teaching

• Our early projects did not incorporate affect into design– Naïve Model: Scientists would have scientific mindset

Interpret DBER data and act– Direct argumentation can work against goal

Opportunity• Develop People

– Deeply Satisfying & Rewarding– Role in establishing the future of STEM

• Develop Institutional Identity– Top Administration’s Words & Actions

• Leverage Mindset

• FIU: Lab for the Future of STEM

• Can we establish equity through STEM?

Fostering Authentic Dialogue in the ClassroomSlide Number 2Slide Number 3Where We are TodayInstitutional ContextHow Did We Get Here?Slide Number 7FIU’s LA ProgramSlide Number 9LA Implementation ExamplesModeling Instruction in Physics2 Primary ModesModeling Instruction: Multiple measures of successSlide Number 14Recent ImpactSlide Number 16LA Implementation Examples (2)LA Implementation Examples (3)LA Implementation Examples (4)Reflection: What Do You Think?Why “Authentic Dialogue”?Elements of Culturally Responsive InstructionDriversLAs: Modeling Authentic DialogueEcosystem of ChangeHow Did We Get Here?Institutional Change ThemesSTEMtastic FuturePotential ChallengesOpportunity