Obstacles to implementation of active learning in mathematics

Obstacles to implementation of active learning in mathematics: Are we using the right change strategies? Charles Henderson Western Michigan University homepages. wmich. edu/~chenders EAF Conference at Math. Fest Practice and Assessment Workshop Columbus, OH August 2, 2016

100, 000 US Hospital Deaths Linked to Poor Hand Hygiene* http: //info. debgroup. com/Portals/169265/images/4 -2 -2013%204 -26 -22%20 pm-resized-600. jpg *Daniel Pink, Drive

700, 000 US Deaths Linked to Smoking and Obesity* Knowledge-Practice Gap • We have identified problems. • We have identified solutions. • The solutions are not implemented http: //offthemerry-go-round. com/2012/11/12/no-ifsands-or-butts-its-time-to-quit-smoking-for-good/ http: //www. stayathomemum. com. au/wpcontent/uploads/2013/09/Healthy-Eating-to-Lose-Weight 11. jpg *Data from 2000, http: //en. wikipedia. org/wiki/List_of_preventable_causes_of_death

Undergraduate STEM Teaching in the US • ~400 K new STEM students annually in BA programs* • Half (48%) do not graduate with a STEM degree † • This trend has persisted for over 20 years ‡ • A big reason for leaving is poor teaching practices‡ *NSF, Science and Engineering Indicators 2012 http: //www. nsf. gov/statistics/seind 12/pdf/c 02. pdf †NCES, STEM Attrition: College Students’ Paths Into and Out of STEM Fields http: //nces. ed. gov/pubs 2014/2014001 rev. pdf ‡Seymour and Hewett (1997)

We have identified problems “Improving undergraduate teaching is integral to meeting the pressing national need for more STEM majors. ” (AAU, 2011, p. 2)

We have identified solutions An important, highly replicable, result from DBER is that active learning instructional strategies increase student performance. Effect sizes by discipline (from a metaanalysis of 225 studies – Freeman et al. , 2014). ning r a nce e a l m e r v Acti perfo s e s a Incre SD 7 4. 0 by ning r a e l e e Activ ses failur a m decre y 36% (fro b rates. 8%) to 33. 8% Learning Gains (Hedges’s g) © 2014 by National Academy of Sciences % Decrease in Failure Rates 21

Solutions are not widely implemented Most STEM faculty report using extensive lecturing Ten year data from Higher Education Research Institute’s (HERI) Faculty Survey. Report prepared by Kevin Eagan: http: //www. sloan. org/fileadmin/media/files/STEM_Higher_Ed/STEM_Faculty_Teaching_Practices. pdf

Solutions are not widely implemented Few STEM faculty report using “clickers”. Ten year data from Higher Education Research Institute’s (HERI) Faculty Survey. Report prepared by Kevin Eagan: http: //www. sloan. org/fileadmin/media/files/STEM_Higher_Ed/STEM_Faculty_Teaching_Practices. pdf

Change agents need to work smarter not harder https: //www. pinterest. com/pin/171277592056234248/

Smart change agents focus on changing the environment in addition to providing information to individuals Brian Wansink, Koert van Ittersum, James E. Painter, Ice Cream Illusions: Bowls, Spoons, and Self-Served Portion Sizes, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Volume 31, Issue 3, 2006, 240– 243, http: //dx. doi. org/10. 1016/j. amepre. 2006. 04. 003

Four Categories of Change Strategies Focus on Changing Individuals DEVELOPING Curriculum & Pedagogy Reflective Teachers Development and Dissemination Faculty Self-Development DEVELOPING Policy Shared Vision Old (Top Down) Leadership New (Empowering) Leadership Emergent Final Condition Prescribed Final Condition DISSEMINATING Focus on Changing Environment/Structures C. Henderson, A. Beach, and N. Finkelstein, “Facilitating change in undergraduate STEM instructional practices: An analytic review of the literature. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 48(8), 952 -984 (2011). M. Borrego & C. Henderson (2014). Increasing the Use of Evidence-Based Teaching in STEM Higher Education: A Comparison of Eight Change Strategies. Journal of Engineering Education, 103(2), 220– 252.

How they Work Focus on Changing Individuals Design Implement Institutio nalize Experi ment Emergent Final Condition Prescribed Final Condition Evaluate Learn Focus on Changing Environment/Structures C. Henderson, A. Beach, and N. Finkelstein, “Facilitating change in undergraduate STEM instructional practices: An analytic review of the literature. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 48(8), 952 -984 (2011). M. Borrego & C. Henderson (2014). Increasing the Use of Evidence-Based Teaching in STEM Higher Education: A Comparison of Eight Change Strategies. Journal of Engineering Education, 103(2), 220– 252.

How they Work *C. Henderson, A. Beach, and N. Finkelstein, “Facilitating change in undergraduate STEM instructional practices: An analytic review of the literature. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 48(8), 952 -984 (2011).

Disseminating Curriculum and Pedagogy

Development and Dissemination is the most commonly-used changes strategy in undergraduate STEM • It seems to work well for getting individuals to know about and motivated to try new instructional strategies • But, it does not change the environment, often resulting in inappropriate use and discontinuation.

Knowledge-Practice Gap in Physics Teaching (Survey of 722 US Physics Faculty) Knowledge: Practice ranged from 2. 2 to 21. 3, average = 7. 7 Research-Based Instructional Strategies (Top 10/24) Peer Instruction Physlet Coop. Group Prob. Solving Workshop Physics Just-in-time Teaching Tutorials in Introductory Physics Interactive Lecture Demonstrations Activity Based Problem Tutorials Ranking Tasks SCALE-UP Knowledge % Use % Knowledge : Practice 63. 5 56. 3 49. 3 48. 2 47. 7 47. 0 45. 4 43. 0 38. 7 34. 5 29. 2 13. 0 13. 7 6. 7 8. 4 7. 9 13. 9 6. 0 15. 4 3. 3 2. 2 4. 3 3. 6 7. 1 5. 7 6. 0 3. 3 7. 2 2. 5 10. 4 • Henderson, C. & Dancy, M. (2009) The Impact of Physics Education Research on the Teaching of Introductory Quantitative Physics in the United States, Physical Review Special Topics: Physics Education Research, 5 (2), 020107. • Dancy, M. & Henderson, C. (2010) Pedagogical Practices and Instructional Change of Physics Faculty, American Journal of Physics, 78 (10), 1056 -1063.

Discontinuation and inappropriate use are the biggest contributors to the knowledge-practice gap in physics Most (50%-95%) self-reported users do not use as recommended 32% Who try, Discontinue Henderson, C. , Dancy, M. , & Niewiadomska-Bugaj, M. (2012) The Use of Research-Based Instructional Strategies in Introductory Physics: Where do Faculty Leave the Innovation-Decision Process? , Physical Review Special Topics - Physics Education Research, 8 (2), 020104.

Focusing only on individuals is not sufficient because it does not change traditional situations in which individuals work • Even motivated instructors who are knowledgeable about new teaching methods run into difficulties • Instructors face many situational constraints that frequently result in discontinuation or inappropriate use Change Situation Henderson, C. and Dancy, M. (2007) Barriers to the Use of Research-Based Instructional Strategies: The Influence of Both Individual and Situational Characteristics. Physical Review Special Topics: Physics Education Research, 3 (2), 020102. Change Individuals

Diffusion of innovations theory tells us that there are different types of adopters. Change strategies that work with early adopters probably will not work as well later adopters. Image from: http: //www. informationweek. com/software/social/5 -social-business-adopter-types-prepare-early/d/d-id/898950

Developing Reflective Teachers

Developing reflective teachers strategies address some of the problems with disseminating curriculum and pedagogy. But, they still do not change environments/structures. • Good – Inquiry cycles provide instructor ownership and local fit. • Bad – Inquiry cycles often do not start with and seek to build on current knowledge. There is significant reinvention (some wheels, but may flat tires)

Faculty Learning Communities are a common model of developing reflective teachers A faculty learning community (FLC) is a crossdisciplinary faculty and staff group of size 6 -15 (8 to 12 is the recommended size) engaging in an active, collaborative, yearlong program with a curriculum about enhancing teaching and learning and with frequent seminars and activities that provide learning, development, interdisciplinarity, the scholarship of teaching and learning, and community building. -Milton D. Cox http: //www. units. muohio. edu/flc/

Developing Policy

Eight-Stage Leadership Process Change is episodic, with a clear beginning and end 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Create Vision Implement Change Institutionalize Change (1 -3) (4 -7) (8) Eight-Stage Leadership Process (Kotter, 1996) Change is episodic, with a clear beginning and end Establishing a sense of urgency Creating the guiding coalition (include deans, chairs, cross-section of faculty, and students) Developing a vision and strategy (focus on learning objectives and classroom environment) Communicating the change vision Empowering broad-based action Generating short-term wins (use pilot studies and reward teams of instructors) Consolidating gains and producing still more change Anchoring new approaches in the culture (Use co-teaching assignments)

SCALE-UP (Student Centered Active Learning Environments with Upside-down Pedagogies) • Developed by Bob Beichner in 1993 for Physics • Influenced teaching practice in a minimum of 314 departments at 189 higher education institutions* *Foote, K. T. , Neumeyer, X. , Henderson, C. , Dancy, M. H. , & Beichner, R. J. (2014). Diffusion of researchbased instructional strategies: the case of SCALE-UP. International Journal of STEM Education, 1(1), 10.

SCALE-UP Involves redesigning the classroom and pedagogy

Example: Midwest U Create Vision Opportunity and Sense of Urgency Implement Change Build momentum Institutionalize Top-down from upper administration Led by Provost-level “guiding coalition” A major flood resulted in the need to reconstruct many classrooms Federal funding was available Began with 2 classrooms in 2009 (seating 54 and 81), design followed UMN/NCSU models The Center for Teaching and instructional services ran a mandatory training program before instructors could use rooms Room assignments were centrally controlled so members of all departments could use Some department chairs specifically encouraged their faculty Faculty and student excitement about successful courses helped motivate other faculty 7 SCALE-UP classrooms used by 60 departments From 2010 to 2013, trained 214 staff who taught 542 course sections, with a total enrollment of 10898 students Foote, K. T. , Neumeyer, X. , Henderson C. , Dancy, M. H. , & Beichner, R. (2015). SCALE-UP Implementation and Intra-Institutional Dissemination: A Case Study of Two Institutions. Proceedings of the 2014 Physics Education Research Conference.

Example: Southern U Create Vision Opportunity and Sense of Urgency Implement Change Build momentum Institutionalize Bottom-up Led by two faculty members in different departments. High failure rates in gatekeeper courses were a concern of upper administration. Administration provided funds for two SU classrooms, one in each department. Results of initial use were successful. One of the department heads decided all intro classes in the department should be taught SCALE-UP style. Instructors invited visitors to observe classes SCALE-UP spread to other disciplines 10 SCALE-UP classrooms used by 10 departments Foote, K. T. , Neumeyer, X. , Henderson C. , Dancy, M. H. , & Beichner, R. (2015). SCALE-UP Implementation and Intra-Institutional Dissemination: A Case Study of Two Institutions. Proceedings of the 2014 Physics Education Research Conference.

Developing policy strategies can work when they are done thoughtfully and the conditions are right • Can start bottom-up or top-down, but guiding coalition needs to include faculty and administrators • History is important – in almost all cases, SCALE-UP implementation was built on prior work and prior relationships. • Redesigned classrooms add visibility and stability that help sustain SCALE-UP.

Developing Shared Vision

Groups are a common feature of both reflective teachers and shared vision, but serve different purposes in each case Faculty Learning Community UNIT OF CHANGE: INDIVIDUAL Instructional Development Team UNIT OF CHANGE: GROUP OR ORGANIZATION

Complexity Leadership Theory Change is cyclic and ongoing Complexity Leadership Theory’s Enabling Leadership (Uhl-Bien et al. , 2007) Change is cyclic and ongoing 1. Disrupting patterns to encourage interactions between individuals 2. Developing rules that create interdependency to encourage teamwork 3. Encouraging dissenting opinions to increase tension 4. Avoiding stifling regulations 5. Articulating the vision 6. Identifying emerging knowledge from interactions 7. Communicating emerging knowledge to formal leadership 8. Implementing knowledge Quardokus, K. (2014). Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation. Interpret Emerging Events (6 -8) Disrupt Existing Patterns (1 -2) Encourage Novelty (3 -5) Borrego, M. , & Henderson, C. (2014). Increasing the Use of Evidence-Based Teaching in STEM Higher Education: A Comparison of Eight Change Strategies. Journal of Engineering Education, 103(2), 220– 252. doi: 10. 1002/jee. 20040

Wieman Course Transformation Model Course Level Program Level • Disrupt existing patterns – Start with focus on upper-division E&M course. 13 instructors met 7 times to set goals. Significant support by post doc. – Developed an assessment instrument • Encourage Novelty – Core Question: “What is junior E&M about? How is it different from the introductory E&M course? ” • Interpret Emerging Events – Significant “behind the scenes” work by post docs and others to synthesize ideas and report back to larger group – Course level led to broader program level goals (and shared language in the department) Chasteen, S. V. , Pepper, R. E. , Caballero, M. D. , Pollock, S. J. , & Perkins, K. K. (2012). Colorado Upper-Division Electrostatics diagnostic: A conceptual assessment for the junior level. Physical Review Special Topics - Physics Education Research, 8(2), 020108.

Course Level Led to Broader Program Level Goals Electricity and Magnetism 1 Classical Mechanics/ Math Methods 1 Quantum Mechanics 1 http: //www. colorado. edu/sei/departments/physics_learning. ht Broad Learning Goals for Upper-Level Physics 1. Math/Physics Connection 2. Visualization 3. Knowledge Organization 4. Communication 5. Problem-Solving Techniques 6. Problem-Solving Strategies 7. Expecting and Checking Solution 8. Intellectual Maturity

Key features of Instructional Development Teams from a complexity leadership perspective • Disrupt existing patterns: – Support: Teams need support (e. g. , post doc or grad student) – Interdependence: Teams have a reason to work together (e. g. , new course assignment) • Encourage Novelty – Moderate Diversity: Teams have some diversity of ideas/experiences, but not so much that it is a barrier – Simple rule: Work framed by compelling, simple rule or question (e. g. , “students should do science in their first two years”) • Interpret Emerging Events – Facilitation: interpreting within teams • post doc or grad student played an important role • Additional one-on-one communication outside of group meetings – Communication: Spreading ideas outside of teams • Shared Language: extracting principles from details

Take-Away Messages 1. There is no ‘best’ change strategy. Depends on your goals and resources (power, time, etc. ) and history. 2. Much is known about ‘best practices’ within each strategy (and this knowledge is not well used). 3. Articulation of a simple rule or core principle is important in many change strategies. *C. Henderson, A. Beach, and N. Finkelstein, “Facilitating change in undergraduate STEM instructional practices: An analytic review of the literature. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 48(8), 952 -984 (2011).

Thank You homepages. wmich. edu/~chenders