FIRSTIV:Faculty Institutes for Reforming Science Teaching for Postdoctoral Research Scholars

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This multi-institution professional development project for postdoctoral scholars is shaping their beliefs about and approaches to teaching undergraduate biology, to ultimately result in improved student learning. The project focuses on creating a national network of 200 postdoctoral scholars who are prepared and mentored in scientific teaching before they assume faculty roles in academic institutions. The professional development activities explicitly link the principles of scientific research with those of scientific teaching. Established Regional Field Station (RFS) leadership teams are implementing professional development workshops, providing mentoring in teaching and long-term support for postdoctoral scholars, and advancing their own teaching and scholarship in education. The postdoctoral scholars are learning teaching strategies and constructing an entire biology course based on scientific teaching. They are adapting pre-existing materials and tools that are learner-centered, and tested and validated by other faculty. It is anticipated that the postdoctoral scholars will begin their new faculty positions formally prepared to teach with a course in hand. The project is evaluating the effect of professional development on postdoctoral understanding and implementation of the scientific approach to teaching and active student-centered learning. The new courses are being disseminated through the FIRST web site and the FIRST Assessment Database, which is linked to websites of the National Postdoctoral Association, the National STEM Digital Library and scientific societies. The effectiveness of these professional development and teaching reform models is being disseminated through publications and presentations based on analyses of the postdoctoral scholars in their original and new institutional positions.