VII . Prior Work and Institutional Capacity

We will build CIRTL on a strong foundation in STEM higher education. UW, MSU, and PSU have extensive experience and success with national, NSF-funded, multi-institutional centers in STEM education. UW hosted the National Institute for Science Education (REC 9452971; 7/1/95 - 1/31/01; $10,265,866; Porter, PI). In 5 short years, NISE (a) built working partnerships with states, districts, scientific and educational organizations, federal agencies, and foundations; (b) completed eight books; (c) published over 100 journal articles, research monographs, and briefs; (d) produced 11 Web sites, including the award-winning The Why Files; and (e) conducted five innovative and highly successful national forums. The NISE created a partnership of STEM faculty and social science researchers working collaboratively to produce new knowledge and products for the improvement of K-16 STEM education. The College Level One team performed a 5-year synthesis of education research in collaborative learning, assessment, student evaluation, and learning technology, and presented that knowledge in the Innovation in STEM Education Web site. NISE work led to a major reconceptualization of K-12 professional development presented in Designing Professional Development for Teachers of Science and Mathematics (Loucks-Horsley, Hewson, Love, & Stiles, 1998). The NISE proposed new methodologies for evaluating systemic reform. It also created a Web-based approach to teacher education that is continuing under NSF funding. Finally, the NISE conducted a national survey of best practices in graduate preparation for STEM education.

The Center for the Study of Higher Education (CSHE) at PSU held the subcontract to evaluate the seven-school coalition constituting the Engineering Coalition of Schools for Excellence in Education and Leadership (D6-34024; 1990-95; $560,890, Fairweather, co-PI; 6340-66D, 1995-00; $818,945, Colbeck, co-PI). Qualitative and quantitative studies analyzed internal and external factors that facilitate or inhibit climate change across various institutional contexts, effect on student learning, personal and departmental factors that motivate faculty to use new teaching practices, and organizational conditions that predict institutionalization of reforms. Evaluation tools developed for ECSEL, including student and faculty surveys, have been disseminated for use by engineering schools around the U.S. and will be used in the CIRTL evaluation. To date, publications resulting from the ECSEL evaluation include 15 articles in national and international refereed journals, three book chapters, and more than 30 proceedings and presentations at engineering and education conferences.

Looking to the future, we will build CIRTL on cultures of excellence in both STEM and education research at UW, MSU, and PSU. CIRTL will be able to draw on internal experts and organizations and will be well connected to organizations throughout the nation that are committed to the goals of this proposal. UW hosts numerous disciplinary centers in STEM higher education, including the Institute for Chemical Education, the Center for Biology Education, the Engineering Learning Center, and the Women in Science and Engineering Leadership Institute, as well as the more broadly based Creating a Collaborative Learning Environment and UW Teaching Academy. All will be involved in CIRTL. MSU and PSU are nationally recognized for innovative reforms in STEM undergraduate teaching and learning environments, in faculty development programs, and in faculty rewards on behalf of teaching. MSU hosts the Lyman Briggs School and the Bailey Scholars Program, both pioneering learning communities for STEM students. PSU hosts the Leonard Center in Engineering and the Schreyer Institute for Innovation in Learning which encourage campus-wide teaching reform. The supporting letters from senior leaders at UW, MSU, and PSU indicate the strength of their commitment to CIRTL, and the centrality of CIRTL activities to the institutional objectives.

The PSU Center for the Study of Higher Education (CSHE), the MSU Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education (HALE) Program, the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER), and the UW Learning Through Evaluation, Adaptation, and Dissemination (LEAD) Center are at the forefront of research in higher education. The combined expertise encompasses the preparation of new and future faculty, reform in undergraduate education, best practices in college teaching and learning, studies of faculty rewards and motivation, and evaluation of major STEM education initiatives, such as the NSF-funded New Traditions chemistry curricular reform project and ECSEL.