Facilitating Undergraduate Community at
Florida International University
Laird Kramer
STEM Transformation Institute &
Department of Physics
Physics Education Research Group
Florida International University
AAPT Winter 2014
NSF AWARD 0802184
NSF AWARD 0833300
HHMI AWARD 52006924
Thank you
Physics Education Research Group:
Jessica Bartley, Eric Brewe, David Brookes,
Remy Dou, Zahra Hazari, David Jones, Hagit Lashem,
Seth Manthey, Daryl McPadden, Binod Nainabasti,
Geoff Potvin, Idaykis Rodriguez, Natan Samuels,
Adrienne Traxler, Leanne Wells, Eric Williams
50+ Physics LAs
FIU Students / Faculty / Administration
Supporters:
NSF AWARD 0802184
NSF AWARD 0833300
HHMI AWARD 52006924
Up >2300% since early
1990’s (158 Fa12)
(104% increase in
Ugrad population)
 Modeling: Only
1/6th of Intro
Classes
 Systems Approach
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Number of Declared and
Intended Physics Majors
 3 Year Averages:
Number of Intended and
Declared Physics Majors
Impact: # of Physics Majors @ FIU
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Maj
Underrep
Male
Female
The Institution
 Public, Urban, Research University in Miami
 Founded in 1965 / First students Fall 1972
 50,394 students Fall 2012 / going to 62,000 by ~2020
 800 faculty hires planned for expansion
 Diverse population
 Physics: 27 faculty / ~35 grad (MA/PhD) / >158 ugrads / >2,500 intro S’s
Student System Schema
Classroom
Experience
Advisor(s)
Mentors
Student
Peers
Degree
Programs
Teaching
Experience
Future
Goals
Research
Experience
Classroom Change
Modeling Instruction
 What do Scientists do?
 Build / Validate / Deploy Models
 Can Learning Follow that Path?
 What is value of students doing science to learn science?
 Modeling Instruction Replicates Scientist’s Activities
 Opportunity to implement explicit Nature of Science theme
 Studio Course: Lab + Lecture time combined / no lecture
 Build, validate, deploy, and extend models through inquiry labs and
activities: conceptual reasoning and problem solving
 Opportunity to be immersed in physics community
Modeling Instruction: Multiple measures of success
FCI Scores Modeling and Lecture
 Improved Conceptual Understanding
70.0%
Modeling (N=258)
Lecture (N=758)
60.0%
 Improved Attitudes
FCI %
 First reported in physics
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
 Replicated by many
courses/instructors
10.0%
31.5%
0.0%
61.9%
33.1%
Pre
47.9%
Post
 Improved Success
30.4%
CLASS Overall Favorability Shift by Instructor
30
Favorability Shift
 Across Ethnic/Gender Bounds
 Facilitates Learning Community
25
20
15
10
5
0
-5
A (19 - 1) B (25 - 1) C (88 - 4) D (79 - 4) E (21 - 1) F (20 - 1) G (30 - 1)
Instructor (# of Students - # of classes)
 94% of those committing further to
teaching were in Modeling classes
Lecture
Success Rates - Intro Physics (04-10)
Modeling
100%
 Recruitment pathway: HS and Univ
14.8%
Raw Gain
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Overall
Female
Male
Maj
UR
How does community get built?
 SNA Survey: Who do you work with to learn physics?
 Modeling Classroom: Beginning / Middle / End
 30 students / 30 Respondents: isolates on left
How does community get built?
 SNA Survey: Who do you work with to learn physics?
 Modeling Classroom: Beginning / Middle / End
 30 students / 30 Respondents: Isolates on left
 Traditional Post
(39 of 79 responded)
Modeling Interview Data
“Marta”, who had repeatedly dropped out of colleges in the past, described her
Modeling class:
[This class has] superintegrated me into FIU. I cannot imagine dropping
out, literally cannot imagine not finishing school… That’s the biggest deal
that’s ever happened to me.
“Anna”, a pre-med student who is considering switching to a physics major since
completing two semesters of introductory Modeling classes, said:
I can actually tell you why an equation is the way that it is, and how it
helps, how it works with things. I feel like I can really understand the
concepts more.
Before [in other science courses] I would just look for what’s the right
answer. How do I get there? I don’t care about the concepts…I just want
the answer so I can get the grade.
It’s taught me that I can do this. I can do these hard problems with these
smart kids.
Broaden Classroom Change
Pathway for Expanding Reform
 How Provide Pathway for Broader Reform?
 Modeling Instruction: Transformative / Commitment
 Learning Assistant Model
 Reform Introductory Courses / Labs
 Impacting >90 sections/yr, 2,500+ students
 Impact lecture sections through labs
 Reformed Teacher Preparation Program
 RECRUIT top students / try out teaching / path to certification
 Developed at University of Colorado Boulder
 Measured Impact on Introductory Physics
 Improved conceptual learning in lectures
 Positive attitudinal results
The LA Program
 Institutional Change Model
 Experiential Program for Undergraduates:

Recruit for teaching careers / education advocacy for all / students flip faculty
 Embedded Faculty Development Program:

Must reform to get LAs / Drives faculty change
 Designed: University of Colorado Boulder / PhysTEC project brought to FIU
 Implementation (start)
 Physics (2008)

Reformed all introductory labs / Modeling critical role
 Mathematics (2009)

Algebra and beyond: Supplemental / In-class / Varied
 Chemistry (2009): Lecture and Lab
 Earth Science (2010): helped new TUES project
 Biology (2011): HHMI Project / PLTL integration…
 Engineering & Computing (2011): ramping up
The Learning Assistant Experience
Content: Weekly
planning sessions with
faculty leading the course
Practice: LAs lead
weekly Learning Teams of
6 to 30 students
Supports Course Reform
Instruction is an Intellectual Endeavor
Pedagogy: LAs from
all departments take
a weekly course in
science education
theory and practice –
led by a faculty
member and a K12
Teacher
Number'of'Learning'Assistants'
LA Growth
Largest LA program in Nation
153 LAs in Fall 2013
(complimentary Biology PLTL pgm)
Change Outside Classroom
Beyond the Classroom
 Physics Undergraduate Learning Community
 Intellectual (study) plus Social (SPS / game night) Nucleus
 Pathways

Modeling classes / Open Labs

Undergraduate students / majors

High school teacher connections

PLC (space): Modeling classroom, lounge, etc: 24 x 7 access
 Programmatic Reform
 New BA / BA Tracks / Physics teaching program
 First Year Physics Seminar
 What is Physics? / careers / graduate school / REU’s
 Connect to the department
 Advising
 Several faculty advise / track / advocate
Sustainable
Embed Sustainable Paradigm
Foundational Components
•
•
•
Faculty Practices
Student Advocacy
Research Evidence
Administration Critical Role
•
•
•
Administration looks to PERG for STEM Leadership
SMTI: Science and Mathematics Teacher Imperative
• Dean of Arts & Science + President serve key roles
President Rosenberg:
• Driving STEM Education
• PCAST Presentation November 2012
• National Research Council Study Committee
Faculty / Staff / Administration STEM Engaged
Toes in (plain) / More than knee deep (underlined)
Physics
 Richard Bone
 David Brookes
 Bernard Gerstman
 David Jones
 Laird Kramer
 Hagit Leshem
 Pete Markowitz
 Rajamani Narayanan
 Geoff Potvin
 Brian Raue
 Joerg Reinhold
 Jorge Rodriguez
 Caroline Simpson
 Adrienne Traxler
 Leanne Wells
 Walter Van Hamme
Biology
 Ligia Collado-Vides
 Tim Collins
 Suzanne Koptur
 Marcy Lowenstein
 John Makemson
 Thomas Pitzer
 Gene Rosenberg
 Ophelia Weeks
 Eric von Wettberg
 Anna Wlodarczyk-Meziani Administration
 Mark Rosenberg
Teaching & Learning
 Isis Artze
Chemistry
 Charles Bleiker
 Carlos Becerra
 David Chatfield
 Eric Brewe
 Irma Becerra-Fernandez
 Milagros Delgado
 Gunham Caglayan
 Elizabeth Bejar
 Palmer Graves
 Maria Fernandez
 Ken Furton
 Konstantinos Kavallieratos  Zahra Hazari
 Delia Garcia
 Joseph Lichter
 George O’Brien
 Andres Gil
 Martin Quirke
 Barbara King
 Nicole Kaufman Glasgow
 Kelly Rein
 Michael Heithaus
 Uma Swamy
Engineering & Computer
 Howard Lipman
Science
 Amir Mirmiran

Jean
Adrian
Earth & Environment
 Norman Munroe

Wilmer
Arrellano
 Grenville Draper
 Leslie Richardson

Shekhar
Bhansali
 Rosemary Hickey-Vargas
 Doug Robertson
 Claudius Carnegie
 Florentin Maurrasse
 Suzanna Rose
 Jiuhua Chen
 Rodolfo Rego
 Steve Sauls
 Faisal Kaleem
 Doug Wartzok

Masoud
Milani[
Mathematics /Statistics
[Graduate Students]

Gus
Roig
 Julian Edward
 Ju Sun
 Sneh Gulati
[External Partners]
 Herman Watson
 Abdelhamid Meziani
 Nansong Wu
 Ada Monserrat
[partial list]
 Philippe Rukimbira
 Enrique Villamor
Evolution of classroom space
School of
International and
Public Affairs (2010)
Provost committed active
learning classroom in
Robert Stempel Building
(opens in 2014)
(more to come…)
Long-term Sustained Commitment
STEM Transformation Institute
•
•
•
•
•
•
Launched September 2012
Initiative Driven By President
Institution as research laboratory
• Implement research-driven practices
• Education research on those practices
3 Colleges:
•
Arts & Sciences / Education / Engineering & Computing
Partnerships:
• K-12 Systems / Colleges / Universities
• Funders / Foundations / Industry
• Professional Organizations
Active Learning Classroom
•
•
Institution adding active learning classroom to next building to
“discourage faculty from lecturing”
More active learning room in the works
STEM Transformation Institute
Early Pipeline /
Student Recruitment
P-20+
Partnerships
STEM Career Pathways for
Graduates
K-12 Schools
Colleges
Industry
Local Communities
National Research
Agencies
Research-Centered STEM
Education Transformation
STEM Teacher
Professional
Development
Undergraduate Physics Approach
 Long-term strategic commitment to transform undergraduate program
 Courses (esp introductory) (Modeling Instruction, ISLE, OST’s, LA, … )
 First Year Physics Seminar (1 credit / hook to department)
 Programs (BS / BA / BA tracks including education)
 Advising / Mentoring
 Classroom and Informal Space!!
 Physics Education Research Group
 ~$10M External E/O Funding
 Publications / Presentations / etc
 Rolled into Institutional Initiatives
 Deans / President / Provost / VPs
 New STEM Transformation Institute (hires!)
Resources
 Reports






SPIN-UP Report
Rising Above the Gathering Storm (NAS 2007, Revisited 2010)
PCAST Report (whitehouse.gov / 2012)
DBER Report (NAS / 2012)
James Zull: The Art of Changing the Brain
How People Learn (NAS / 2000)
 Learning Assistant Alliance: learningassistantalliance.org
 Regional Workshops! (Southeast @FIU Feb 9-11)
 Faculty: Facilitate an informal DBER forum
 Social + Academic
 Students: The ultimate change agent?
Champion(s)
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead