1. LOW STAKES INTERACTIONS CATALYZE HIGH IMPACT STEM EDUCATION PROGRAMS Kathryn Trenshaw Brown University November 7 th, 2014

2. COMMUNITY BUILDING AAU Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative Science Center Sheridan Center

3. SHERIDAN CENTER FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING AAU Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative Science Center Sheridan Center Engage new faculty early in Brown community Engage Faculty establish networks through workshops and events Progress Faculty build institutional capital in teaching and learning Build Community of faculty engaged in thinking about education and reform Change

4. SCIENCE CENTER FOR STUDENT SUPPORT Science Fridays  Informal discussions of STEM education and challenges in academia  Peer-to-peer communication  Foundation of professional development via Sheridan Center  STEM-inclusive, centralized space → Faculty buy-in and ownership AAU Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative Science Center Sheridan Center

5. AAU UNDERGRADUATE STEM EDUCATION INITIATIVE AAU Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative Science Center Sheridan Center

6. SCIENCE FRIDAYS: NUTS AND BOLTS Interested faculty in STEM are invited Diverse and changing group Organized by senior faculty Who? Conversation about education with peers Attendance is completely voluntary Lunch is served What? Bi-monthly lunches always on a Friday One hour long When? Centrally located in Science Center Space accommodates varying group size Where?

7. SCIENCE FRIDAYS: LOCATION

9. SCIENCE FRIDAYS: EXAMPLE TOPICS BroadSpecific OrganizedFreeform Thinking back to the articles that were shared, our discussion prompt is, “What purpose do student evaluations serve?” Let’s all share what specific active learning techniques we use in our classrooms. Does anyone want to go first?

10. SCIENCE FRIDAYS: LOW STAKES  Attendance is voluntary  Just a conversation Allows brainstorming → “So, I’m thinking about…” Encourages experimentation Participants become informal mentors to each other  No subsequent course reform is necessary (or even expected) Freedom to discuss without specified goal leads to organic, impactful institutional change Permanent Record

11. CONTACT INFORMATION Kathryn Trenshaw, STEM Education Postdoctoral Researcher  Kathryn_Trenshaw@brown.edu Kathy Takayama, Executive Director of the Sheridan Center  Kathy_Takayama@brown.edu