Promoting Evidence-Based Change in Undergraduate Science Education

Description:

The literature on discipline-based education research has grown considerably in recent years, providing evidence of the effectiveness and impact of various educational practices. Despite the evidence, however, considerable concern focuses on the extent to which faculty members in STEM fields are integrating evidence-based practices into their teaching. The need for strong STEM teaching that results in significant learning gains remains. Yet, change in the practice of higher education faculty does not occur easily. This paper draws from the literature on organizational change to broaden understanding of which factors encourage faculty members to change their teaching practices and which serve as barriers that discourage faculty members’ interest in using new pedagogical approaches.