HOW CAN UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP PROMOTE CHANGE

IN UNDERGRADUATE STEM EDUCATION?

Thomas J. LeBlancVision and Change in Biology Undergraduate Education

AAAS Annual Meeting/ August 2013

THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI

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

A private comprehensive research university

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

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

“THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’ ”

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

STEM Curricula Reform for Persistence and Diversity

Provost

Dean

Department Chair

Faculty

PERSISTENCE AND DIVERSITY

1. Student Engagement2. Tools to Excel 3. Diverse Pathways

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

HHMI INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY LABSStronglyagree

Stronglydisagree

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

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

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

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

PATHWAYS TO THE FUTURE

MS (13.7%)

PhD (22.0%) MD/

PhD(1.4%)

MD (34.0%)

PharmD (5.5%)

DDS (4.1%)

JD (2.7%) Non-science PhD (1.4%)

N = 98

Other

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

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