Into the Wild: An Empirically Based Framework for Understanding STEM Pedagogy in University Education

• In Event: 81.017 - Supporting Students' Workforce Readiness

Abstract

Promising practices have been stipulated as an important strategy to increase undergraduate student success and retention in STEM. Using a mixed-methods approach, we leverage nearly 300 classroom observations to document and describe the implementation of promising practices in introductory STEM lecture courses at a large public university. Additionally, we utilize instructor interviews to analyze the factors that inhibit or contribute to the pedagogic decisions instructors make. The findings of this study go well beyond a descriptive account of whether or not instructors utilize promising practices: a new theoretical model that contextualizes the influences on instructor decisions towards adopting promising practices is put forth that takes into account the holistic interplay between institutional learning culture, policy, and available resources.

Authors

• Viet Vu, University of California - Irvine

• Gabriel Orona, University of California - Irvine

• Mark Warschauer, University of California - Irvine