Success by Design: Building Faculty Capacity to Improve Curriculum and Instruction

三年来，佛罗里达大西洋大学（FAU）科学与教育学院的教师一直在合作解决学生在化学、生物和物理第一学期课程中的成绩和保留问题。通过这项工作，他们认识到需要改进课程设计、课程设置和课程组成部分的一致性。这个项目现在进入了一个阶段，进一步的发展可能会给美国的一些大学带来好处。我们致力于(1)构思“课程设计模式”（CDM），作为教学模块开发的框架；(2)将此清洁发展机制应用于化学、生物和物理的5个原型教学模块的开发和试验；(3)从学生在这5个模块的成绩、提高学生的学习动机和增强学生对科学的兴趣三个方面来评估清洁发展机制；(4)使教师专业发展过程制度化；(5)大学生同伴领导培训的设计、运行和评价。科学导论课程的清洁发展机制设计有三个主要特点，概括为：1。“少即是多”：教师应该更深入地涵盖最重要的主题，强调核心概念之间的关系，并设计教学活动，让学习者练习表达他们对核心概念的理解。2. “脚手架式学习”：初学者不能指望他们把注意力集中在学科的核心概念上，相反，他们需要教师的广泛指导来加深他们的思考和理解。课程的设计应该提供一个促进这种学习的“脚手架”。“同伴学习”：学习环境应该允许和鼓励学生参与相互讨论，以建立和深化他们自己的概念理解。这些模块和教学实践正在佛罗里达大西洋大学和棕榈滩社区学院的学生中进行实地测试。根据对这些实地测试的评价，正在改进课程设计模式，并进一步开发教学模块的原型。通过V区教育促进中心（Florida Department of Education的一个地方办事处），与该地区的社区学院建立了广泛合作机制。

Interdisciplinary (99)Faculty in the Colleges of Science and Education at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) have been working collaboratively for three years to address problems of student achievement and retention in first semester courses in Chemistry, Biology, and Physics. Through this work they have recognized the need to improve the design of course, curriculum, and alignment of course components. This project is now entering a phase where further development is likely to have benefits for a number of universities in the US. We are engaged in (1) conceptualizing a "Curriculum Design Model" (CDM) to serve as a framework for the development of instructional modules; (2) applying this CDM to the development and trial of 5 prototype instructional modules in chemistry, biology, and physics; (3) evaluating the CDM in terms of student achievement in these 5 modules, improved student motivation, and stronger student interest in science; (4) institutionalizing a process of faculty professional development; and (5) designing, running, and evaluating undergraduate peer leader training. There are three main design features of the CDM for introductory science courses, summarized as:1. "Less is more:" Faculty should cover the most important topics in greater depth, emphasize relationships between core concepts, and design instructional activities to give learners practice in representing their understanding of core concepts. 2. "Scaffolding learning:" Novice learners cannot be expected to direct their attention to core concepts in a discipline, rather, they require extensive guidance from faculty to deepen their thinking and understanding. Curriculum should be designed to provide a "scaffold" on which to promote this kind of learning.3. "Peer learning:" The learning environment should allow and encourage students to engage in mutual discussion in order to construct and deepen their own conceptual understanding. The modules and this instructional practice are being field tested with Florida Atlantic University and Palm Beach Community College students. Based on the evaluation of these field tests, the Curriculum Design Model is being refined, and further development of the prototype instructional modules undertaken. Mechanisms for extensive collaborations have been established with community colleges in the area through the Region V Area Center for Educational Enhancement, which is a local office of the Florida Department of Education.