Implementation of Student- Centered Pedagogy, Its Impact on Learning, Persistence, and the Teaching Culture

该项目将通过将生物学和数学入门课程转变为以学生为中心的教学模式，显著改善数千名生命科学专业学生的学习环境。教师团队将接受培训，使用互动视频技术在核心生物学课程中实施主动学习教学法。项目团队还将设计新的数学课程，将生物学相关内容和计算应用纳入其中，为代表性不足的少数族裔学生提供补充教学机会，并采用以学生为中心的教学方法，对最有可能辍学的学生产生积极影响。预期的结果包括有更多的学生有动力并准备好探索不同的科学职业，更少的学生在入门课程中表现不佳，以及更多样化的本科生完成科学和数学学位。项目活动还将培养研究人员，他们更专注于评估学生的学习，以及未来的教师（教学研究员），他们可以在其他机构倡导以学生为中心的教学。为了加强这些活动，将在加州大学洛杉矶分校就业中心设立一个新职位，以促进学生对医学以外的职业选择的兴趣，以及对新兴科学职业的认识。项目评估计划将提供关于互动视频对学生学习的影响的新知识，以学生为中心的教学对科学专业知识保留和持久性的有效性，以及在课程改革中吸引研究型教师所必需的支持结构。所有这些活动都将包括教师指导战略和激励措施，旨在克服阻碍教育改革的体制障碍。

This project will significantly improve the learning environment for thousands of life science majors by converting introductory courses in biology and math to student-centered modes of instruction. Instructor teams will be trained to use interactive video technology to implement active learning pedagogies in core biology courses. The project team also will design a new math curriculum that incorporates biology-relevant content and computational applications, supplemental instruction opportunities for underrepresented racial minority students, and student-centered teaching methods demonstrated to positively impact students most at risk for dropping out of science. Expected outcomes include more students motivated and prepared to explore diverse science careers, fewer students under-performing in their introductory coursework, and a more diverse undergraduate pool completing science and math degrees. Project activities also will produce research faculty who are more engaged in assessing student learning as well as future faculty (teaching fellows) who can serve as advocates of student-centered teaching at other institutions. To augment these activities, a new position will be created within the UCLA Career Center that promotes student interest in career alternatives to medicine and awareness of emerging careers in science. The project evaluation plan will provide new knowledge about the impact of interactive videos on student learning, the effectiveness of student-centered teaching on knowledge retention and persistence in science majors, and the support structures necessary to engage research-focused faculty in curricular reform. All of these activities will incorporate faculty mentoring strategies and incentives aimed at surmounting institutional barriers that tend to inhibit educational reform.