Goals of the FIRST II National Dissemination Project at HBS

Scope of Work and Schedule for Project FIRST II at HBS

YEAR ONE

1. Assemble Regional Institute Teams

Prior to April 2002, participating institutions should identify their primary participants (i.e., institutional team).
Each team will be composed of at least three individuals:

a. Team leader from the regional institution will be the lead contact for the project and will recruit at least two team members;
b. Team Members. These are individuals who are or will be involved in teaching introductory undergraduate science courses, education of pre-service teachers, and/or the development of undergraduate science curricula. Team members can be faculty, post-doctoral students, and appropriate graduate students, all of whom must have an interest in curriculum reform and a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching. Inclusion of team members in more than one discipline is encouraged.
The team should be designed to build a supportive network that will enhance collaboration among team members and their undergraduate institution, and to provide long-term administrative support for dissemination of the project to other faculty.

2. Development Institute I (May 23-26, 2002)

The regional institutional team should attend Professional Development Institute I at the Hancock Biological Station to begin/continue faculty development. On completion of the Institute the institutional team will:

a. Begin to develop an action plan for implementation of inquiry-based teaching and learning in undergraduate courses at their home institution;
b. Maintain lines of communication within the team, with other institutional teams, and with the Mentor Team at HBS; and
c. Prepare to present their plans for curriculum/course reforms to other institutional teams and the Mentor Team during the Fall 2002 meeting.

3. Follow-up Workshop I (August 2002)

a. Receive feedback about plans for implementation of inquiry-based activities in your science course(es);
b. Conduct additional work on improving evaluation and assessment skills; and
c. Begin examination of various forms of scholarship about teaching and learning that includes ideas about design and implementation of research and scholarship.

1. Professional Development Institute II (Spring 2003)

The regional institutional team should attend Professional Development Institute II at the Hancock Biological Station to continue faculty development. On completion of the Institute the institutional team will have:

a. Obtained feedback regarding revisions implemented in your teaching/curricula;
b. Continued theme of research and scholarship of teaching; and
c. Discussed what evidence you will provide to indicate there is a positive impact on improving your teaching and student learning.

2. Follow-Up Workshop II (Fall 2003)

The regional institutional team should attend the Follow-up Workshop II at the Hancock Biological Station to review faculty plans and continue faculty development. On completion of the workshop the institutional team will have:

a. Examined research and scholarship underway and
b. Discussed criteria for recognition and rewards for teaching within home institutions; and
c. Discussed ideas for grant proposals in support of your curriculum reforms.

YEAR THREE

1. Professional Development Institute III (Spring 2004)

The regional institutional team should attend Professional Development Institute III at the Hancock Biological Station to continue faculty development. On completion of the Institute the institutional team will have:

a. Worked on assessment and evaluation of student learning;
b. Continued work on course design and effective instructional strategies; and
c. Determined mechanisms for sustaining FIRST II in collaboration with your home institution.

2. Professional Development and Planning Workshop at Oregon Institute of Marine Biology (Summer 2004)

A representative of your regional institutional team should attend the Professional Development and Planning Workshop at OIMB to continue faculty development. On completion of the workshop the institutional team will have:

a. Participated in the program evaluation of FIRST II;
b. Furthered your professional development for assessment of student learning and the scholarship of teaching and learning;
c. Examined possible cross-site comparisons and studies; and
d. Developed methods of sustaining the FIRST II network and dissemination of project results in through literature and electronic means.

3. Follow-up Workshop III (Fall 2004)

The regional institutional team should attend the Follow-up Workshop III at the Hancock Biological Station to review faculty plans and continue faculty development. On completion of the workshop the institutional team will have:

a. Continued work on assessment and evaluation of student learning;
b. Examined cross-site comparisons; and
c. Conducted summative evaluation.

YEAR FOUR

1. Ecological Society of America Meeting (Summer 2005)

Selected participants from your regional institutional team should attend the Ecological Society of America Meeting. Participants will:

a. Participate in a symposium and/or a section of papers about the results of FIRST II;
b. May present a poster; and
c. The PIs will host a dissemination workshop on the scholarship of teaching and research.