Using a Community of Transformation to create a sustained change toward increased active learning in the undergraduate classroom

Abstract

Background: Many individuals and groups have responded to the call to action to reform undergraduate biology teaching through increased utilization of evidence-based teaching strategies. One promising practice for creating sustained change is the use of a Community of Transformation or a deliberate network designed to reinforce active learning through mentorship. The Promoting Active Learning and Mentoring (PALM) Network, which encourage its members to reflect deeply on their teaching and to make changes based on evidence-based practices, supports the implementation of active learning through a network of practitioners from across multiple professional societies and disciplines. Members of the Network interviewed seven previous PALM Fellows, one to four years after completing their fellowship, to better understand the users of the network and why they engaged with the network. Results: Key themes emerged from interviews about how engagement and experiences of each of the interviewees aligned with the ADKAR model of change management: Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement. The interviews supported the creation of three personas: Bob the Sponge, Lupe the Lone Wolf, and Malik the Master. The interviews also highlighted examples of how the Fellows continue to utilize evidence-based teaching practices and how they successfully implemented adaptation to online course interactions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions, summary, and implications: Understanding how the personas intersect with the ADKAR model has led to a better understanding of how the PALM network functions as a community of transformation to facilitate transformative change toward active learning. This approach can serve as a model for others who wish to enable similar transformative change in various Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines.