TY - JOUR
T1 - The professional identity of STEM faculty as instructors of course-based research experiences
AU - Hanauer, David
AU - Alvey, Richard
AU - An, Ping
AU - Bancroft, Christa
AU - Butela, Kristen
AU - Coleman, Sean
AU - Clase, Kari L.
AU - Collins, Parks
AU - Conant, Stephanie
AU - Connerly, Pamela
AU - Connors, Bernadette
AU - Dennis, Megan K.
AU - Doyle, Erin L.
AU - Edwards, Dustin
AU - Fillman, Christy
AU - Findley, Ann
AU - Frost, Victoria J.
AU - Gainey, Maria
AU - Golebiewska, Urszula
AU - Guild, Nancy
AU - Gusky, Sharon B.
AU - Johnson, Allison
AU - Johnson, Kristen
AU - Klyczek, Karen K.
AU - Lee-Soety, Julia
AU - Lindberg, Heather
AU - Mastropaolo, Matthew D.
AU - Merkle, Julie A.
AU - Mitchell, Jon
AU - Molloy, Sally
AU - Nieto, Fernando
AU - Nissen, Jillian
AU - Perez Morales, Tiara
AU - Peters, Nick T.
AU - Pfeifer, Susanne P.
AU - Pollenz, Richard
AU - Preuss, Mary L.
AU - Rosas-Acosta, Germán
AU - Saha, Margaret S.
AU - Sprenkle, Amy
AU - Sunnen, C. Nicole
AU - Tobiason, Deborah
AU - Tolsma, Sara S.
AU - Ware, Vassie
AU - Ahumada-Santos, Yesmi Patricia
AU - Alvarez, Regina V.
AU - Anderson, Justin
AU - Ayuk, Mary
AU - Báez-Flores, María Elena
AU - Bailey, Dondra
AU - Baliraine, Frederick
AU - Behr, Elizabeth
AU - Beyer, Andrea R.
AU - Bhalla, Suparna
AU - Bono, Lisa M.
AU - Breakwell, Donald P.
AU - Byrum, Christine
AU - Duffy, Iain
AU - Gleichsner, Alyssa
AU - Harrison, Melinda
AU - Ho, Renee
AU - Hughes, Lee E.
AU - Kagey, Jacob D.
AU - Kohl, Kathryn
AU - McClory, Sean
AU - Moyer, Alison
AU - Mussi, Maria A.
AU - Nance, Holly
AU - Nsa, Imade Y.
AU - Page, Shallee T.
AU - Parra Unda, Jesús Ricardo
AU - Rocheleau, Jessica
AU - Swerdlow, Sarah
AU - Thoemke, Kara
AU - Valentine, Megan S.
AU - Vega, Quinn C.
AU - Ward, Catherine
AU - Williams, Daniel C.
AU - Wisner, Ellen
AU - Biederman, William H.
AU - Cresawn, Steven G.
AU - Graham, Mark J.
AU - Hatfull, Graham
AU - Heller, Danielle
AU - Jacobs-Sera, Deborah
AU - Monti, Denise
AU - Ramakrishna, Pushpa
AU - Russell, Daniel
AU - Sivanathan, Viknesh
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2024 Hanauer, Alvey, An, Bancroft, Butela, Coleman, Clase, Collins, Conant, Connerly, Connors, Dennis, Doyle, Edwards, Fillman, Findley, Frost, Gainey, Golebiewska, Guild, Gusky, Johnson, Johnson, Klyczek, Lee-Soety, Lindberg, Mastropaolo, Merkle, Mitchell, Molloy, Nieto, Nissen, Perez Morales, Peters, Pfeifer, Pollenz, Preuss, Rosas-Acosta, Saha, Sprenkle, Sunnen, Tobiason, Tolsma, Ware, Ahumada-Santos, Alvarez, Anderson, Ayuk, Báez-Flores, Bailey, Baliraine, Behr, Beyer, Bhalla, Bono, Breakwell, Byrum, Duffy, Gleichsner, Harrison, Ho, Hughes, Kagey, Kohl, McClory, Moyer, Mussi, Nance, Nsa, Page, Parra Unda, Rocheleau, Swerdlow, Thoemke, Valentine, Vega, Ward, Williams, Wisner, Biederman, Cresawn, Graham, Hatfull, Heller, Jacobs-Sera, Monti, Ramakrishna, Russell and Sivanathan.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - The professional identity of scientists has historically been cultivated to value research over teaching, which can undermine initiatives that aim to reform science education. Course-Based Research Experiences (CRE) and the inclusive Research and Education Communities (iREC) are two successful and impactful reform efforts that integrate research and teaching. The aim of this study is to explicate the professional identity of instructors who implement a CRE within an established iREC and to explore how this identity contributes to the success of these programs. 97 CRE instructors from the Science Education Alliance (SEA) iREC participated in a 2-year, multi-stage, qualitative research project that involved weekly reflective journaling, autoethnographic description, small group evaluation and writing, and large-scale community checking. The resulting description of professional identity consisted of shared values (inclusivity, student success, community membership, ownership/agency, science, overcoming failure, and persistence), specified roles (mentor, advocate, scientist, educator, motivator, collaborator, community builder, learner, evaluator and project manager) and a stated sense of self (dedicated, resilient, pride in students, multiskilled, valued, community member, responsible and overworked). Analysis of individual reflective diary entries revealed how a professional identity underpinned and facilitated the ways in which faculty addressed challenges that arose and worked toward the success of every student. It is the self-concept of the professional identity of the instructor in the context of the CRE classroom that directed the extended commitment and effort that these instructors evidently put into their work with students, which facilitated student engagement, student persistence, and their collective scientific output. The study concludes that a professional identity of STEM faculty in the context of a CRE and iREC combines being a researcher and educator, and that this integrated identity is central for current initiatives aimed at transforming undergraduate STEM education.
AB - The professional identity of scientists has historically been cultivated to value research over teaching, which can undermine initiatives that aim to reform science education. Course-Based Research Experiences (CRE) and the inclusive Research and Education Communities (iREC) are two successful and impactful reform efforts that integrate research and teaching. The aim of this study is to explicate the professional identity of instructors who implement a CRE within an established iREC and to explore how this identity contributes to the success of these programs. 97 CRE instructors from the Science Education Alliance (SEA) iREC participated in a 2-year, multi-stage, qualitative research project that involved weekly reflective journaling, autoethnographic description, small group evaluation and writing, and large-scale community checking. The resulting description of professional identity consisted of shared values (inclusivity, student success, community membership, ownership/agency, science, overcoming failure, and persistence), specified roles (mentor, advocate, scientist, educator, motivator, collaborator, community builder, learner, evaluator and project manager) and a stated sense of self (dedicated, resilient, pride in students, multiskilled, valued, community member, responsible and overworked). Analysis of individual reflective diary entries revealed how a professional identity underpinned and facilitated the ways in which faculty addressed challenges that arose and worked toward the success of every student. It is the self-concept of the professional identity of the instructor in the context of the CRE classroom that directed the extended commitment and effort that these instructors evidently put into their work with students, which facilitated student engagement, student persistence, and their collective scientific output. The study concludes that a professional identity of STEM faculty in the context of a CRE and iREC combines being a researcher and educator, and that this integrated identity is central for current initiatives aimed at transforming undergraduate STEM education.
KW - course-based research experience
KW - inclusive research and education community
KW - Science Education Alliance
KW - STEM faculty professional identity
KW - undergraduate science education
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85208648054&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/feduc.2024.1442306
DO - 10.3389/feduc.2024.1442306
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85208648054
SN - 2504-284X
VL - 9
JO - Frontiers in Education
JF - Frontiers in Education
M1 - 1442306
ER -