Teaching-focused professional development (PD) programs offered at institutions of higher education (IHEs) are uniquely positioned to be levers of change that improve the quality of undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in ways that broaden participation in STEM education, workforce development, and…

Metacognition is an important skill for undergraduate chemistry students, but there has been scant research investigating chemistry instructors' perspectives of metacognition and the development of their students' metacognition. Since undergraduate instructors have a wide influence over what happens in their courses, it is crucial to investigate…

In response to calls for reform in undergraduate biology education, we conducted research examining how varying active-learning strategies impacted students' conceptual understanding, attitudes, and motivation in two sections of a large-lecture introductory cell and molecular biology course. Using a quasi-experimental design, we collected…

Authentic scientific data, when richly contextualized, can provide the basis for compelling learning experiences. Many undergraduate students either do not have access to primary data, or if they do, the data are so abstract that student engagement is limited. Here, we describe contextual information and data-rich, student-centered activities we…

Liberal arts colleges occupy a unique place in the landscape of higher education. Whether defined, as David Breneman has, as an exclusive group of about 200 schools that award a large percentage of their degrees in traditional liberal arts fields, or as a more inclusive group of baccalaureate institutions, liberal arts colleges focus on…

The development and use of the faculty staffing forumla for Colorado, prepared by the Association of Public College and University Presidents (APCUP), is examined, and a recent major attempt to update or modify the formula is described, along with the outcome. Based on the work of representatives from many campuses, a large scale computer…