Collaborative Research: Evaluating the Impact of the Promoting Active Learning and Mentoring (PALM) Network on Vision

Vision & Change (V&amp；C)：对行动的呼唤提出了有效开展本科生命科学教育的新愿景。Vision & Change呼吁教育工作者使用基于证据的实践来强调体验式学习、真实的研究经验和积极的学习方法，为本科生提供留在STEM学科和在STEM领域从事职业所必需的参与和激情。在过去的十年中，该报告在本科生命科学教育界一直很有影响力，但很少有研究来确定V&amp；C的概念和能力在多大程度上渗透到生物教育者的社区。该项目将利用促进主动学习和指导（PALM）网络（NSF奖#1624200）来研究V&amp；C概念和能力在参与PALM项目的网络和专业协会中的渗透。项目团队将利用一种混合的方法来支持将所有PALM参与者的定量调查与定性的半结构化访谈相结合，以进一步深入探讨参与者的动机、实施和更详细地传播Vision & Change原则。该项目旨在：1)确定远景与变革原则在多大程度上激励导师或学员加入PALM；2)描述参与PALM网络的教师和教育工作者对Vision &amp； Change的看法，并确定该网络和指导对部门内Vision &amp； Change原则的看法、实施和传播的影响；3)检查PALM网络对其相关专业协会的影响，并评估愿景与变革如何影响这些协会对本科生物教育的参与。虽然这项工作以教师为中心，但其影响将乘以由这些教师教授的本科生数量。项目团队将在中央网站（QUBES）、科学会议和开放获取出版物上传播协议、调查、培训材料和结果。创建和共享的产品将记录V&amp；C的当前覆盖范围，并有可能将V&amp；C扩展到更多的教育工作者。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Vision & Change (V&C) in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action proposed a new vision for effective undergraduate life science education. Vision & Change called on educators to use evidence-based practices to emphasize experiential learning, authentic research experiences, and active learning approaches for providing undergraduates with the engagement and passion necessary to remain in STEM disciplines and pursue careers in STEM fields. The report has been influential in the undergraduate life science education community over the last decade, yet few studies have been undertaken to determine the extent to which V&C concepts and competencies have penetrated the community of biology educators. This project will leverage the Promoting Active Learning and Mentoring (PALM) Network (NSF Award #1624200), to study the penetrance of V&C concepts and competencies across the network and the professional societies involved in the PALM project.The project team will utilize a mixed methods approach to support combining the strength of quantitative surveys that reach all PALM participants with qualitative semi-structured interviews to further probe participants’ motivations, implementation, and dissemination of Vision & Change principles in more detail. The project aims to: 1) determine to what extent Vision & Change principles motivated mentors or mentees to join PALM; 2) characterize perceptions of Vision & Change among instructors and educators involved in the PALM Network, and determine the impact of this network and mentorship on perceptions, implementation, and dissemination of Vision & Change principles within departments; and 3) examine the impact of the PALM Network on its associated professional societies and assess how Vision & Change has influenced these societies’ engagement with undergraduate biology education While this work is instructor-focused, its impact will be multiplied by the number of undergraduate students taught by these instructors. The project team will disseminate protocols, surveys, training materials, and results on a centralized website (QUBES), at scientific conferences, and by open-access publications. The products created and shared will document the current reach of V&C and have the potential to extend V&C to an even greater number of educators.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.