Curricular products

Megan Cole, Emory University; David Lynn, Emory University; Tracy McGill, Emory University; Kate McKnelly, Emory University; Rebecca Shetty, Emory University

The LA Leadership Development Program at Emory University is designed to develop students' interdisciplinary STEM thinking, identities as leaders, and leadership practices rooted in Emory's student leadership philosophy. Students who are selected as undergraduate laboratory teaching assistants, LAs, and peer mentors in select chemistry and biology courses are required to participate in this semester-long program. Students participate in a pre-workshop facilitated by chemistry and biology faculty and the Office of Student Involvement, Leadership, and Transitions, and students will complete weekly exercises that focus on leadership development. The program will culminate with a capstone presentation where students will demonstrate their leadership development.

Cynthia Bauerle, James Madison University; Laura Bottomley, North Carolina State University; Carrie Hall, University of New Hampshire-Main Campus; University of New Hampshire-Main Campus; Lisette Torres-Gerald, Nebraska Wesleyan University

We built a digital resource instrument (a wizard) to assist in the development of life sciences curricula that frame biology competencies in the context of ethical reasoning, since ethical and moral reasoning are important dimensions to college student development (Kohlberg, 1976). Using the "Eight Key Questions" framework developed at James Madison University, we generated a series of questions and examples of how instructors can adapt their syllabi, classroom activities, assessment, and pedagogy to re-center ethical reasoning.

Sarah Elgin, Washington University in St. Louis; Shan Hays, Western Colorado University; Vida Mingo, Columbia College (SC); Christopher Shaffer, Washington University in St. Louis; Jason Williams, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

This program centers on teaching biology through research experiences and practical examples of current issues. We propose alternative implementations, suggestions and insights for achieving a research-centered biology major at institutions of higher learning outside the context of a Research I university.

Kavitha Chandra, University of Massachusetts-Lowell; Christopher Hansen, University of Massachusetts-Lowell; David Willis, University of Massachusetts-Lowell; Yanfen Li, University of Massachusetts-Lowell

The proposed transformative engineering approach integrates core engineering knowledge with allied disciplines, which are defined as disciplines that promote student development of professional skills/dispositions (humanistic and meta knowledge). Specific skills/dispositions the program addresses will include: ethical reasoning, communication, leadership, meta-cognitive skills, creativity, cultural awareness and teamwork. Examples of allied disciplines for engineering students include: humanities, social sciences, arts, and management and entrepreneurship.

Joshua Caulkins, Arizona State University at the Tempe Campus; KARIN ELLISON, Arizona State University at the Tempe Campus; Ben Hurlbut, Arizona State University at the Tempe Campus; Kate MacCord, Arizona State University; Amy Pate, Arizona State University at the Tempe Campus; Christian Wright, Arizona State University at the Tempe Campus

The Biological Sciences Degree Program at Arizona State University is in the midst of a revolution. Through institutional support at the level of the Director of the School of Life Sciences, the core courses required of undergraduates in this major are being reviewed and realigned to cutting-edge pedagogical standards, 21st century skills, and national standards for knowledge. Amidst this culture of change, we envision a change in STEM education that provides students with an education that robustly integrates humanistic, meta, and foundational knowledge in order to better prepare them for their lives as professionals and citizens. This project highlights the incorporation of humanistic and meta knowledge into the Biological Sciences Degree Program.

Trina Davis, Texas A & M University; Cheryl Craig, Texas A & M University; Michele Norton, Texas A & M University; Sara Raven, Texas A & M University; Claire Katz, Texas A & M University

The Inquiry, Design, and Ethical Action Scholars (IDEA-S) Certificate Program is designed for incoming STEM and STEM education freshmen. Scholars will navigate through a series of virtual and in-person design thinking and inquiry-based experiences during the summer months leading up to their freshman year. Each experience will be intentionally designed to build participants' capacities to take ethical action and impact change within the context of STEM-related issues. At the culmination of this interdisciplinary certificate program, scholars will apply the inquiry, design, and ethical reasoning skills learned to solve complex problems in high-need communities.

Stephanie E. August, California State University-Los Angeles; Gustavo Menezes, California State University-Los Angeles; Bettyjo Bouchey, National Louis University; Alan Cheville, Bucknell University; Melissa Ko, Stanford University

A manifesto, as used in this document, refers to a public declaration of views or stances, acknowledging what is generally already commonly-held knowledge from publications and past conversations, but then presenting new ideas of what should be done. We are crafting this manifesto to make our vision for the future of STEM education clear to others and give examples of what we could someday attain. This document serves as a guide for faculty and administrators in higher education who are interested in widening access and participation. We seek to guide all agents involved (students, faculty and staff) toward achieving their full potential by first identifying, then moving away from traditional models of higher education based on industrial metaphors which focus on production and system efficiency, and standardized inputs and outputs, into an ecosystem-based model, in which agents are seen as assets that enrich a learning environment, valued for who they are, their strengths, their desires, and the dreams they bring in, and they are nurtured to thrive. It is only by shifting our thinking from metaphors of production to ones of growth that we can open up alternative futures.

Eliza Reilly, SUNY at Stony Brook; Davida Smyth, New School University; Jay Labov, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Our team aims to create a certification for STEM educators that applies the ideals and strategies of SENCER (Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities) and adds practical professional development in pedagogy, science communication, and community collaboration. SENCER courses and programs use civic problems and big interdisciplinary public challenges (e.g. infectious disease, climate change, etc) with student-centered pedagogy to teach rigorous foundational knowledge while building civic awareness. Because SENCER courses take a problem-based, systems approach to learning, they inevitably engage the humanistic and social science knowledge, as well as meta-knowledge and skills, that learners need to be scientifically informed civic agents in their communities. The certificate program will help instructors teach STEM content "through" pressing social and civic problems of direct relevance to local communities by providing: course/program design guides, student-centered pedagogical training, grounding in principles of effective science communication and informal science learning, and the development of collaborative opportunities with community-based STEM educators.

Melissa Paciulli, Holyoke Community College; Adrienne Smith, Holyoke Community College; Gordon Snyder, Holyoke Community College; Ileana Vasu, Holyoke Community College

The Holyoke Community College (HCC) Team developed a unique approach to assist STEM students with accelerated learning in the Community College setting, which will position first year students for internships and research opportunities faster, to increase persistence and completion of a certificate. This program is focused on the recruitment of historically marginalized students and supports our Colleges Strategic Plan, to support the needs of our Hispanic student Community. Holyoke Community College is currently a HSI withroughly 26% Hispanic students. By supporting our student's development of technical skills, coupled with essential skills, students will be able to work in industry at an earlier point in their academic journey. We will be using high-impact practices, coupled with accelerated learning, in a supported community to fast track our students.