Collaborative research: supporting innovation in chemistry teaching at two-year colleges via professional development and networking

This National Science Foundation (NSF) Project Grant award, under the STEM Education (CFDA 47.076) program, provides $214,976 in funding to Adirondack Community College to deliver a professional development initiative for two-year college chemistry faculty in the Northeast region. The project aims to assemble a regional community of 50 faculty, increase their pedagogical self-efficacy and satisfaction, provide access to chemistry-specific training and collaborative opportunities, and support the incorporation of evidence-based practices through a community of practice. The award period is from Sep 1, 2024 to Aug 31, 2027. The project seeks to improve the student experience in introductory chemistry courses and contribute to broadening participation in STEM academic pathways.

Abstract

This project aims to serve the national interest by providing a long-term professional development pathway for two-year college chemistry faculty across the northeast region of the country. Specifically, 50 two-year college faculty will participate in a multi-pronged discipline specific professional development initiative that aims to develop transformative learning experiences in first- and second-year chemistry courses. Two annual in person workshops will be followed by the creation of virtual communities of practice using an online learning platform and ongoing engagement with peer mentors. The impact of the activities on participating faculty satisfaction and their students will be assessed and utilized to refine project activities. The project benefits from partnerships between experienced two-year college faculty and chemistry education experts in the region. This work has the potential for significant impact in meeting the learning needs of two-year college students, who represent a considerable portion of science and engineering students that ultimately receive stem bachelor's and master's degrees. Ultimately, the project is likely to increase student success and make a significant contribution to broadening participation in stem academic pathways. The goal of this project is to provide two-year college chemistry faculty with professional development support for collaboratively adopting and implementing evidence-based practices to improve the student experience in introductory chemistry courses. Three objectives provide a framework for project implementation: 1) assemble a regional professional community of 50 two-year college chemistry faculty and increase their pedagogical self-efficacy and satisfaction, 2) provide access to chemistry-specific professional training and collaborative opportunities, and 3) support faculty with the incorporation of evidence-based practices through a community of practice and discipline-specific action steps. The established community will address professional isolation, leverage partnerships, and support the development of professional connections between faculty from two-year and four-year institutions. Assessment efforts utilize faculty and student surveys, interviews, and other measures. These instruments seek to provide data and insight on the effectiveness of professional development and networking on transforming teaching practice and ultimately on student learning. The project also aims to study the impact on faculty professional satisfaction and pedagogical self-efficacy. Project outcomes will be disseminated at local, regional, and national stem education conferences and made available through targeted publication in relevant journals. The NSF iuse: innovation in two-year college stem (ityc) program seeks to accelerate the impact of and advance knowledge about emerging and evidence-based practices in undergraduate stem education at two-year colleges. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.