Transcript Low Stakes Interactions Catalyze High Impact STEM Education

LOW STAKES INTERACTIONS
CATALYZE HIGH IMPACT STEM
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Kathryn Trenshaw
Brown University
November 7th, 2014
COMMUNITY BUILDING
Sheridan
Center
Science
Center
AAU
Undergraduate
STEM Education
Initiative
SHERIDAN CENTER
FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING
Engage
Progress
Build
Change
Engage
new faculty
early in
Brown
community
Faculty
establish
networks
through
workshops
and events
Faculty
build
institutional
capital in
teaching
and
learning
Community
of faculty
engaged in
thinking
about
education
and reform
Sheridan
Center
Science
Center
AAU
Undergraduate
STEM Education
Initiative
SCIENCE CENTER
FOR STUDENT SUPPORT
Science 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
Sheridan
Center
Science
Center
AAU
Undergraduate
STEM Education
Initiative
AAU UNDERGRADUATE STEM
EDUCATION INITIATIVE
Sheridan
Center
Science
Center
AAU
Undergraduate
STEM Education
Initiative
SCIENCE FRIDAYS: NUTS AND BOLTS
Who?
• Interested faculty in STEM are invited
• Diverse and changing group
• Organized by senior faculty
What?
• Conversation about education with peers
• Attendance is completely voluntary
• Lunch is served
When?
• Bi-monthly lunches always on a Friday
• One hour long
Where?
• Centrally located in Science Center
• Space accommodates varying group size
SCIENCE FRIDAYS: LOCATION
SCIENCE FRIDAYS: LOCATION
SCIENCE FRIDAYS: EXAMPLE TOPICS
Organized
Thinking back to the
articles that were shared,
our discussion prompt is,
“What purpose do student
evaluations serve?”
Broad
Freeform
Let’s all share what specific active
learning techniques we use in our
classrooms. Does anyone want to go
first?
Specific
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 INFORMATION
Kathryn Trenshaw, STEM Education Postdoctoral Researcher
 [email protected]
Kathy Takayama, Executive Director of the Sheridan Center
 [email protected]