From CREATE Workshop to Course Implementation: Examining Downstream Impacts on Teaching Practices and Student Learning at 4-Year Institutions

Abstract

The faculty workshop model has long been used for disseminating innovative methods in STEM education. Despite significant investments by researchers and funding agencies, there is a dearth of evidence regarding downstream impacts of faculty development. CREATE is an evidence-based strategy for teaching science using primary literature. In this study, we examined whether workshop-trained faculty applied CREATE methods effectively and whether their students achieved either cognitive or affective gains. We followed 10 workshop alumni at different 4-year institutions throughout the United States. External observations of the teaching indicated a high fidelity of CREATE implementation. The students made significant gains in cognitive (e.g., designing experiments) and affective (e.g., self-efficacy in science process skills) domains. Some student outcomes correlated with particular characteristics (e.g., class size) but not with others (e.g., teaching experience). These findings provide evidence for the robustness of the CREATE dissemination model and provide perspective on factors that may influence pedagogical reform efforts.

A Single, Narrowly Focused CREATE Primary Literature Module Evokes Gains in Genetics Students’ Self-Efficacy and Understanding of the Research Process

“…Previous studies of the CREATE method have focused on full-semester courses taught by PIs or by faculty who learned and practiced CREATE approaches in multi-day CREATE workshops taught by experienced CREATE practitioners (22)(23)(24). This study demonstrates that a short CREATE module taught by faculty with little CREATE training can also produce some important gains.…”

“…We compared students who experienced the CREATE module with those in different sections of the same course taught without CREATE. In this way, we tested the hypothesis that students who experienced a single CREATE module taught over a few class periods would make gains in scientific literacy and selfefficacy while also experiencing positive shifts in epistemological beliefs about scientific skills and knowledge (18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24). Our hypothesis was partially supported by the data in that students in the CREATE sections made significant gains in self-efficacy but did not gain transferable data analysis skills.…”

“…Taking advantage of the narrative nature of science, the strategy uses intensive analysis of interrelated papers to demystify and humanize the research process. Students in CREATE courses have made a variety of cognitive and affective gains, in first-year (19,20) and upper-level electives (18,21) at a minorityserving institution, as well as in a variety of four-year (22,23) and two-year (24) college/university settings. All implementations of CREATE tested to date were semester-or quarter-long topical courses taught by faculty who learned the CREATE technique through multi-day faculty development workshops (22)(23)(24).…”

“…Students in CREATE courses have made a variety of cognitive and affective gains, in first-year (19,20) and upper-level electives (18,21) at a minorityserving institution, as well as in a variety of four-year (22,23) and two-year (24) college/university settings. All implementations of CREATE tested to date were semester-or quarter-long topical courses taught by faculty who learned the CREATE technique through multi-day faculty development workshops (22)(23)(24). Given the benefits of the original CREATE approach, we are interested in devising novel ways to apply the technique, for example by using it to teach key concepts in the research process as part of a required, more-traditional course with minimal faculty training in using CREATE tools.…”

Environmental influences and individual characteristics that affect learner-centered teaching practices

“…However, in our study, course size was not a significant factor in the overall model of teaching practice, and had a very small contribution to our model of RTOP scores over time for FIRST IV faculty. Past research has also found that small course enrollment does not necessarily result in the implementation of learnercentered teaching [4,69,114]. Overall, course infrastructure was more of a perceived barrier for faculty trained in scientific teaching and course size does not seem to have a significant effect on learner-centered teaching practices.…”