Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Finelli, Cynthia J.
• Daly, Shanna R.
• Richardson, Kenyon M.

Titel

Bridging the Research-to-Practice Gap: Designing an Institutional Change Plan Using Local Evidence

Ist Teil von

• Journal of engineering education (Washington, D.C.), 2014-04, Vol.103 (2), p.331-361

Ort / Verlag

Washington: Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Erscheinungsjahr

2014

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

Wiley-Blackwell Journals

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Background Ample research provides evidence about the influence of effective teaching practices on student success. Yet the adoption of such practices has been slow at many institutions. Efforts to bridge the gap between research and practice are needed. Purpose We describe an institutional change plan we developed to bridge this research‐to‐ practice gap. Our plan is grounded in research and theories about faculty motivation and organizational change, and we designed it using local evidence from the University of Michigan College of Engineering. Design/Method We collected local data from three sources to provide context for our institutional change plan. First, faculty focus groups allowed us to determine factors that influence faculty adoption of effective teaching practices. Second, classroom observations allowed us to ascertain current teaching practices. Third, a student survey allowed us to identify teaching practices perceived by students to enhance their success. We used this local evidence with a “who/what/how” decision‐making process to design our change plan. Results Our institutional change plan for accelerating the adoption of effective teaching practices comprises a faculty action plan and an administrative change plan. Although still evolving, there is evidence of the success of both parts. Conclusions Local evidence is critical in our change plan. Change agents wishing to bridge the research‐to‐practice gap at their own institutions can design a plan that adapts our process and integrates relevant research and theory with their own local data.