Seeing the Paths to Change: Evaluating Vision & Change in Undergraduate Biology Education Using a Pathway Modeling Approach

在过去的二十年里，生物学领域在研究成果和研究方法方面都取得了巨大的进步。本科生物学教育中的愿景与变革(V&Amp；C)始于近15年前，当时生物科学界讨论这些进步如何挑战学生在本科学习计划中应该学习的东西的性质。该项目旨在通过对展望与变革“运动”进行全面评估来服务于国家利益，以更好地展示它如何为改善本科生物学教育做出贡献(并将继续做出贡献)。该项目将提供一个组织结构，确定短期、中期和长期的V&A；C成果，并将它们以一种有用和有益的方式联系起来，为利益相关者提供一种有用和有益的方式，以“看到”V&A；C的成功、机遇和未来发展轨迹。该项目将开发一个可视化的、易于理解的理论框架，称为V&A；C路径模型。V&A；C路径模型是一个可视化模型，将通过系统地整合V&A；C的文献以及关键利益相关者关于V&A；C是什么和它如何工作的观点来开发。该项目将使V&amp；C社区能够更好地了解它们对本科生生物学的影响，以及他们在未来几年应该将注意力转向什么，以最大限度地发挥影响。该项目旨在开发一个理论框架，将：a)组织和阐明各种V&amp；C活动和结果；b)巩固关于V&amp；C使用和影响的性质和范围的现有知识；以及c)在地方和国家层面构建V&amp；C评估的未来方向。该模式将致力于1)确定和解决实施V&A；C；的关键假设；b)优化在各级实施V&A；C的计划；c)使地方实施者能够战略性地集中其评价工作；以及d)为国家级调查人员的研究提供组织指南。一旦开发了初始理论模型，将通过在线焦点小组会议，通过三个V&A；C利益相关者队列的贡献来验证模型的内容。这些人包括早期的V&amp；C组织者，现在的V&amp；C实施者，以及组织和系统级的变革制造者。该项目将制定一个五年计划，以扩大V&A；C框架的采用。五年计划将与路径模型一起分发，作为规划、决策和评估的可靠工具。随后，路径模型将用于一系列网络研讨会，作为培训和集思广益工具，向更广泛的利益相关者介绍V&A；C原则和成果。通过有重点的传播努力，该项目有可能丰富关于V&amp；C的全国讨论。该项目由本科教育部门改善本科STEM教育计划通过其计划描述21-7412资助，该计划呼吁研究V&amp；C运动对本科生物学教育的影响的项目。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The field of biology has seen dramatic advances in the past two decades, both in its research findings and research methodology. Vision and Change (V&C) in undergraduate biology education began nearly fifteen years ago with conversations in the biological sciences community about how those advances challenge the nature of what students ought to learn in their undergraduate programs of study. This project aims to serve the national interest by undertaking a holistic evaluation of the Vision and Change “movement” to better demonstrate how it has contributed (and continues to contribute) to improving undergraduate biology education. The project will provide an organizing structure by identifying short-, mid-, and long-term V&C outcomes and connecting them in a way that affords stakeholders a useful and helpful way to “see” the successes, opportunities, and future trajectory of V&C. The project will develop a visual and easy-to-understand theoretical framework known as a Pathway Model of V&C. The V&C Pathway Model is a visualization that will be developed through the systematic integration of the literature on V&C as well as key stakeholder perspectives on what V&C is and how it works. The project will enable the V&C community to develop a stronger understanding of what their impact has been on undergraduate biology and what they should turn their attention to in upcoming years to maximize the impact.The project aims to develop a theoretical framework that will: a) organize and articulate the wide variety of V&C activities and outcomes; b) consolidate the current body of knowledge about the nature and extent of V&C's use and impact; and c) structure future directions for V&C evaluation at both the local and national levels. The model will strive to 1) identify and address critical assumptions underlying implementation of V&C; b) optimize plans for implementing V&C at all levels; c) enable local implementers to strategically focus their evaluation efforts; and d) provide national-level investigators with an organizing guide for their research. Once the initial theoretical model is developed, the content of the model will be validated through the contributions of three V&C stakeholder cohorts via online focus group sessions. These include early V&C organizers, current V&C implementers, and organization- and system-level change-makers. The project will develop a five-year plan for expanding adoption of the V&C framework. The five-year plan will be distributed alongside the pathway model as a credible tool for planning, decision-making, and evaluation. Subsequently, the pathway model will be used in a series of webinars as a training and brainstorming tool to inform a wider range of stakeholders on the V&C principles and outcomes. Through focused dissemination efforts this project has the potential to enrich the national conversation around V&C. This project is funded by the Division of Undergraduate Education’s Improving Undergraduate STEM Education Program through its Program Description 21-7412 that calls for projects that study the impact of the V&C movement in Undergraduate Biology Education.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.