About Project Kaleidoscope

Project Kaleidoscope Classroom Engagement Survey

Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL) is one of the leading advocates in the United States for what works in building and sustaining strong undergraduate programs in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). PKAL is an informal alliance taking responsibility for shaping undergraduate STEM learning environments that attract undergraduate students to STEM fields, inspiring them to persist and succeed by giving them personal experience with the joy of discovery and an awareness of the influence of science and technology in their world. From the work of the extensive PKAL community, resources are available that can be adapted by leaders on campuses across the country working to ensure robust STEM learning of all their students.

PKAL Convictions

 strengthening programs in mathematics and the various fields of science and engineering must be a national priority in order to maintain our competitiveness in a world in which science and technology have growing influence  the undergraduate community is the vital link in an educational continuum that serves the national interest  the next decade (2007 - 2017) provides a significant opportunity to 'get it right' in achieving the systemic transformation of undergraduate STEM which is needed by our society.

One of PKAL’s goals is to facilitate greater engagement of administrators and STEM faculty in discussions about, implementation and assessment of research-based pedagogies of engagement. Over the past several years, the work of PKAL has been enriched and extended through collaborative efforts with a wide range of “near-peer” networks, recognizing that collaborations are powerful “agents of change.” What we are learning validates research on dissemination: how ideas evolve, emerge and are enhanced when like-minded colleagues pursue a common vision. This research also speaks directly to the impact of “near-peers” on influencing and persuading others to explore, adapt and assess approaches having demonstrable impact on strengthening STEM learning at all levels. MnSCU is one of six collaborating partners in the United States working with PKAL to serve a national model to improve STEM education.

Who we are and our goals:

Due to the support and encouragement of Dean Jeppson, several PKAL “village elders” have developed an informal collaboration with several faculty members from the College of Social and Natural Science interested in improving STEM education. This group has been attending PKAL meetings that began spring 2008. The goal of this group of faculty is: 1. Discuss PKAL and its partnership with other faculty; 2. Provide some examples of pedagogies of engagement provided at previous PKAL meetings; 3. Identify additional departmental contacts interested in expanding PKAL’s “near-peer” collaborations on MSUM’s campus and within the MnSCU system; 4. Develop and disseminate a survey assessing the use and implementation of pedagogies of engagement within each department in the College of Social and Natural Sciences. These results of the data will be supplied to PKAL leaders and used to develop future grants to support STEM education.

Please distribute the following survey to all faculty members within your department. The next scheduled PKAL/MnSCU meeting is scheduled for September 19, 2008. Please return surveys to Jeff Bodwin, Department of Chemistry, by September 17, 2008. We appreciate your contributions and welcome any questions regarding PKAL, collaborations, and/or clarification regarding the survey. Additional information regarding PKAL can be found at the following web address: http://www.pkal.org/ Project Kaleidoscope Classroom Engagement Survey

Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL, an NSF-sponsored initiative) is an informal alliance whose goal is to build and strengthen undergraduate programs in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) through development of engaged classroom methods. PKAL’s intent is not to determine a “one size fits all” approach to engagement, but rather to foster an open discussion and exchange of ideas regarding different approaches. As we begin this process, we know that there are many faculty exploring a diverse array of classroom presentation methodologies and doing an excellent job at engaging students in their classrooms. To aid in our assessment of the effectiveness of PKAL, we would like to take a preliminary snapshot of what is being done on campus through this survey.

1. What methods/techniques do you currently utilize to encourage engagement/active learning in your classes that would have classically been described as “lecture” courses? (in-class problem sets, small group work, in-class polls (personal response systems/“clickers”, other polling techniques), student presentations, etc.) Please include approximate class size and level (intro, upper division, majors, etc.)

2. What methods/techniques do you currently utilize to encourage engagement/active learning in your classes other than those classically described as “lecture” courses? (labs, discussions, studio, etc.) Please include approximate class size and level (intro, upper division, majors, etc.)

3. What methods/techniques have you used in the past that you have moved away from/abandoned? Why did you not find those techniques effective in your classroom?

4. What resources do you currently use to learn about new or different pedagogies that you might consider for your classroom?

5. What do you consider to be the biggest barrier to trying new classroom pedagogies?

Name: ______Department: ______If you have any questions regarding this survey, PKAL, or other aspects of classroom engagement, please contact: Steve Lindaas (Physics, [email protected], X4268), David Rodenbaugh (Biosciences, [email protected], X5008), or Jeff Bodwin (Chemistry, [email protected], X4371). Please complete the survey and return it to Jeff Bodwin.