Increasing Adoption of Active Learning in STEM Disciplines by Integrating a Faculty Development Program and a Technology-facilitated Learning Environment

该项目正在实施一项计划，以增加在科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)教师授课的课堂上采用技术增强的主动学习。以学生为中心的主动学习技术和将技术融入教学被认为对STEM学科的学习具有积极影响。然而，这些方法的障碍--包括缺乏时间、机构支持和培训，以及为被动授课而设计的传统教室的普遍存在--阻碍了它们的广泛采用。该项目通过以下方式解决这些障碍：1)通过培养六名STEM中心教师(催化剂)，他们沉浸在主动学习教学法中，重新设计自己的课程，并作为同行的榜样，促进技术增强型主动学习的实施；2)建立一个以学生为中心的技术丰富的工作室教室，旨在支持主动学习教学法；以及3)评估主动学习教学法中使用的技术的有效性，以便提供最佳实践建议。这些努力增加了将主动学习纳入该大学所有STEM学科的情况。通过出版物、在线共享教学平台和会议报告，与其他机构分享信息和经验教训。促进采用主动学习技术的催化剂计划是可复制的，增加了STEM教育发生变革的可能性，并扩大了对科学的参与。工作室课堂设计基于现有的积极课堂方法，并通过分享对其技术创新的评估，将进一步促进这一教育领域的发展。

This project is implementing a program for increasing the adoption of technology-enhanced active learning in classes taught by science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty. Student-centered active learning techniques and incorporation of technology into teaching are identified as having positive effects on learning in STEM disciplines. However, barriers to these approaches - including lack of time, institutional support, and training, as well as the prevalence of traditional classrooms designed for passive lectures prevent their broad adoption. This project addresses those barriers by: 1) Facilitating the implementation of technologically-enhanced active learning by developing a cohort of six STEM focal point faculty (Catalysts) who immerse themselves in active learning pedagogy, redesign their own courses, and serve as models for their peers, 2) Establishing a student-centered technology-rich studio classroom designed to support active learning pedagogy, and 3) Assessing the effectiveness of technologies used in active learning pedagogy in order to provide best practice recommendations. These efforts increase the incorporation of active learning into all STEM disciplines at the university. Information and lessons learned are shared with other institutions through publications, an online teaching commons, and conference presentations. The Catalyst program for facilitating adoption of active learning techniques is replicable, enhancing the likelihood of transformational change in STEM education and broadening participation in the sciences. The studio classroom design is based on existing active classroom methodology and, by sharing the assessment of its technological innovations, will further the development of this area of education.