Science Case Network

Preparing Faculty and Future FacultyHow can SCN help?

,Pat Marsteller

Networking Conference

August 7-8, 2012

RCN-UBE Project #1062049 

What are educators’ concerns about implementing cases in their courses?

Brainstorm in small groups for 3 minutes. Report your top 3.

Barriers to Cases Content coverage (breadth v. depth) Prep time Standardized testing Large classes Resources aren’t there Loss of control, too many risks Unclear about assessment Handling student resistance How to facilitate and fairly assess group work

Challenges Preparing faculty

Curriculum change Rewards, incentives

Preparing future faculty Mentor buy-in Funding paradigm

Preparing students for case learning & group work TIME

Writing new cases Adapting cases to local curricula & students

Assessments Facilities

Challenges Preparing faculty

Curriculum change Rewards, incentives

Preparing future faculty Mentor buy-in Funding paradigm

Preparing students for case learning & group work TIME

Writing new cases Adapting cases to local curricula & students

Assessments Facilities

Some Tested Solutions Adapting Cases Teaching, Mentoring and

Communicating Science Certificate

HHMI Curriculum Development Fellowships

PRISM GK12LESSONS LEARNED:

Integrate, Institutionalize, GET Faculty Buy-in, GET Chairs. Deans, Provosts support

Sample Outcomes of FF Programs

Case studies in Cancer Biology 20 PBL mini-cases for Biological

Anthropology. development and co-teaching in

Bioinformatics and Biotechnology Case based nonmajors biology course Case based labs for introductory biology Novel cases for use in a

Biochemistry I course PBL units for majors and

nonmajors biology

Many grad students and post docs are now in tenure track positions or are post docs, with same time to degree as those not doing science education.

Preparing Future Faculty:What works?

Immersion experiences Repeat exposure Mentoring (from faculty and K-12 teachers) Practice and reflection $$$

Helping Faculty:Adapting Cases Know your audience

What do students know? What Interests them?

Know your curriculum What concepts are hard to teach? What concepts can you connect to real world

issues? Define your objectives

What do you want them to know and be able to do? What “Learning Issues” do you want students

to investigate?

Teaching Mentoring and Communicating Science Certificate

Teaching Undergraduate Science I Teaching Undergraduate Science II Mentoring & Being Mentored Communicating Science Practicum experiences

HHMI/NSF Curriculum Fellowship HHMI/NSF Research Partner

HHMI Curriculum Development Fellowhsips

Open to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows

Work with faculty on specific projects Supplemental pay Meet twice a month to discuss pedagogy with

Dr. Marsteller 40 to date

Graduate and Postdoc Curriculum Development Fellowships

Sample Outcomes Case studies in Cancer Biology: Cancer and the

Environment Amanda Thompson developed 20 PBL mini-cases for

Biological Anthropology. Dr. Jaime Rheinecker, a postdoc in the chemistry

department, developed and co-taught in a Bioinformatics and Biotechnology course with Dr. Chad Brommer.

Holly Carpenter, a graduate student in the department of chemistry, now faculty at North Georgia College, collaborated with Dr. Barry Yedvobnick, a professor in biology, to create novel cases for use in a senior undergraduate level Biochemistry I course

Jennifer Holzman, Chad Brommer and Gillian Hue developed PBL units for majors and nonmajors biology

PRISM GK12 Science and Math Graduate Students paired

with HS and middle school Teachers 2 week summer institute PBL and Investigative Cases Develop and implement new materials over a

year fellowship Professional development seminar Journal Club

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Outcomes 400 new curriculum units Graduate fellows improved communication, teaching and team-

building skills. Graduate fellows have spread their enthusiasm for this

pedagogy to faculty mentors leading to transformations in undergraduate science courses

Technology has developed community and aided dissemination Dissemination of developed materials and lessons learned

through the CASES Online Web site (

http://www.cse.emory.edu/cases) presentations by graduate students and teachers at over 60

regional, national, and international meetings three publications in peer-reviewed journals

What Happens After PRISM? Grad students influence undergraduate

instruction at Emory Dean’s Teaching Fellowships & HHMI Curriculum

Development Fellowships PBL in CHEM, BIO, PSYCH, ANTH courses

Alumni spread PBL pedagogy Sung Mo, Asst. Professor of Chemistry, Alma College Holly Carpenter, Asst. Professor of Chemistry, North

Georgia College. Mari Castle, Asst. Professor of Mathematics,

Kennesaw State University.

Breakout Discussion Questions

What other strategies might work? Can we reach all faculty? What evidence to we need to convince

others to join us? What are the groups or meetings we

should target to spread the word? Would on-line workshops and webinars

help reach more people? What other support is needed?

Explore and Join Science Case Net

at http://sciencecasenet.org

Sign up for or create groups Find case studies and PBL problems Find collaborators Learn about teaching with cases

Thank You!