LOW STAKES INTERACTIONS CATALYZE

HIGH IMPACT STEM EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Kathryn TrenshawBrown University

November 7th, 2014

COMMUNITY BUILDING

AAU Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative

Science

Center

Sheridan

Center

SHERIDAN CENTER FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING

AAU Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative

Science

Center

Sheridan

Center

Engage new faculty early in Brown community

Engage

Faculty establish networks through workshops and events

Progress

Faculty build institutional capital in teaching and learning

Build

Community of faculty engaged in thinking about education and reform

Change

SCIENCE CENTER FOR STUDENT SUPPORTScience Fridays Informal discussions of STEM education and

challenges in academia

Peer-to-peer communication

Foundation of professional development via Sheridan Center

STEM-inclusive, centralized space → Faculty buy-in and ownership

AAU Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative

Science

Center

Sheridan

Center

AAU UNDERGRADUATE STEM EDUCATION INITIATIVE

Early time investment removed

inertia from faculty buy-

in

Science Fridays

catalyzed discussions about STEM

reform

STEM community poised for

AAU proposal

Strong, sustainable support for

STEM reform at

Brown

AAU Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative

Science

Center

Sheridan

Center

SCIENCE FRIDAYS: NUTS AND BOLTS

• Interested faculty in STEM are invited• Diverse and changing group• Organized by senior facultyWho?• Conversation about education with peers

• Attendance is completely voluntary• Lunch is served

What?• Bi-monthly lunches always on a Friday

• One hour longWhen?• Centrally located in Science Center• Space accommodates varying group size

Where?

SCIENCE FRIDAYS: LOCATION

SCIENCE FRIDAYS: LOCATION

SCIENCE FRIDAYS: EXAMPLE TOPICS

Broad

Specific

Organized

Freeform

Thinking back to the articles that were

shared, our discussion prompt is,

“What purpose do student evaluations

serve?”

Let’s all share what specific active learning techniques we use in our classrooms. Does anyone want to go

first?

SCIENCE FRIDAYS: LOW STAKES Attendance is voluntary

Just a conversation Allows brainstorming → “So,

I’m thinking about…” Encourages

experimentation Participants become

informal mentors to each other

No subsequent course reform is necessary (or even expected) Freedom to discuss without

specified goal leads to organic, impactful institutional change

Permanent Record

CONTACT INFORMATIONKathryn Trenshaw, STEM Education Postdoctoral Researcher Kathryn_Trenshaw@brown.edu

Kathy Takayama, Executive Director of the Sheridan Center Kathy_Takayama@brown.edu