Technology-Enhanced Learning: Best Practices and Data Sharing in Higher Education
Case Study
Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative at the University of British Columbia (UBC)
Based on work by:
Carl Wieman, Stanford University
Louis Deslauriers, University of British Columbia
Brett Gilley, University of British Columbia
Intervention Types
Process
Related Recommendations
Culture Recommendation 1, 2
Improvement Recommendation 1, 3
Community Recommendation
Summary
The Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative at UBC provided trained specialists to support science faculty in implementing a four-step, scientific approach to teaching:
- Establish what students should learn
- Scientifically measure what students are actually learning
- Adapt instructional methods and curriculum and incorporate effective use of technology and pedagogical research to achieve desired learning outcomes
- Disseminate and adopt what works
After initial experience with using research-based instructional strategies (RBIS), all but one of the 70 science faculty recognized the value to their student learning outcomes, and implemented these approaches on an ongoing basis in all their classes; without such support, other studies have found average attrition rates are about 33%. Carl Wieman and his colleagues speculate that, while a supportive departmental environment is a factor in this success, even more crucial was the role of a trained instructional specialist in RBIS who could help time-constrained faculty to design activities and materials. They write (Wieman et. al. 2013): “Our data provide a considerably more optimistic outlook for the adoption of RBIS [than previous studies]. It implies that with good support nearly all faculty members can successfully adopt and happily continue using RBIS. While this demonstrates what can be achieved, an important area of future research will be to determine precisely what support is the most important of everything that is provided by the CWSEI, and what is the most cost-effective way to provide that support.”
Conclusions and Lessons Learned
- Putting in place a team of instructional-design, educational technology, and faculty-development specialists in place can rapidly overcome faculty resistance to using evidence based instructional practices.
- Higher education institutions should provide resources for learning science and TEL teams to support faculty, including those with disciplinary expertise, in order to build faculty confidence in these unfamiliar teaching methods.
How to Learn More
- Carl Weiman Science Educational Initiative at the University of British Columbia http://www.cwsei.ubc.ca/
Cited References
- Wieman et al. “Use of research-based instructional strategies: How to avoid faculty quitting.” PHYS. REV. ST PHYS. EDUC. RES. 9, 023102 (2013).
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