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Measuring the Association of Departmental Climate Around Teaching with Adoption of Evidence-Based Instructional Practices: A National Survey of Chemistry Faculty Members

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Title: Measuring the Association of Departmental Climate Around Teaching with Adoption of Evidence-Based Instructional Practices: A National Survey of Chemistry Faculty Members
Language: English
Authors: Megan C. Connor (ORCID 0000-0003-3266-4162), Jeffrey R. Raker (ORCID 0000-0003-3715-6095)
Source: Journal of Chemical Education. 2023 100(9):3462-3476.
Availability: Division of Chemical Education, Inc. and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 15
Publication Date: 2023
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: College Faculty, STEM Education, Evidence Based Practice, Educational Environment, Chemistry, Science Instruction, Instructional Improvement, School Policy, Educational Practices, Instructional Innovation, Teacher Attitudes, Correlation, Faculty College Relationship, Faculty Evaluation
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00484
ISSN: 0021-9584
1938-1328
Abstract: Faculty members in STEM report numerous motivators and barriers to adopting evidence-based instructional practices (EBIPs), yet the degree to which these factors are associated with EBIP adoption in postsecondary chemistry courses is unclear. The role of departmental climate around teaching in driving or hindering EBIP adoption is particularly unresolved. This study investigates, via a national survey of chemistry faculty members (n = 983), the degree to which departmental climate around teaching and various other factors are associated with EBIP adoption in postsecondary chemistry courses. Measures of departmental climate around teaching were obtained using a modified version of the Departmental Climate around Teaching (DCaT) instrument. Results from multilevel regression analyses suggest that a climate of continuous improvement in which chemistry faculty members perceive departmental policies, practices, and expectations as reflecting a commitment to the continuous improvement of teaching is conducive to EBIP adoption. At the same time, a climate of continuous teaching evaluation and performance feedback may not be conducive to such adoption. Results from psychometric evaluation of the DCaT suggest that a consensus view of climate may not exist in most chemistry departments, potentially due to a lack of clear policies, practices and expectations surrounding teaching; however, associations involving individual-level measures of climate suggest that such consensus may not be necessary for instructional innovation. Several other contextual, personal, and teacher thinking factors were also associated with EBIP adoption. Results point toward productive avenues through which department leaders, chemistry education scholars, and pedagogical developers and disseminators can promote instructional reform.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2024
Accession Number: EJ1445386
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Measuring the Association of Departmental Climate Around Teaching with Adoption of Evidence-Based Instructional Practices: A National Survey of Chemistry Faculty Members
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Megan+C%2E+Connor%22">Megan C. Connor</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3266-4162">0000-0003-3266-4162</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jeffrey+R%2E+Raker%22">Jeffrey R. Raker</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3715-6095">0000-0003-3715-6095</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Chemical+Education%22"><i>Journal of Chemical Education</i></searchLink>. 2023 100(9):3462-3476.
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  Data: Division of Chemical Education, Inc. and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
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  Data: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00484
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  Data: Faculty members in STEM report numerous motivators and barriers to adopting evidence-based instructional practices (EBIPs), yet the degree to which these factors are associated with EBIP adoption in postsecondary chemistry courses is unclear. The role of departmental climate around teaching in driving or hindering EBIP adoption is particularly unresolved. This study investigates, via a national survey of chemistry faculty members (n = 983), the degree to which departmental climate around teaching and various other factors are associated with EBIP adoption in postsecondary chemistry courses. Measures of departmental climate around teaching were obtained using a modified version of the Departmental Climate around Teaching (DCaT) instrument. Results from multilevel regression analyses suggest that a climate of continuous improvement in which chemistry faculty members perceive departmental policies, practices, and expectations as reflecting a commitment to the continuous improvement of teaching is conducive to EBIP adoption. At the same time, a climate of continuous teaching evaluation and performance feedback may not be conducive to such adoption. Results from psychometric evaluation of the DCaT suggest that a consensus view of climate may not exist in most chemistry departments, potentially due to a lack of clear policies, practices and expectations surrounding teaching; however, associations involving individual-level measures of climate suggest that such consensus may not be necessary for instructional innovation. Several other contextual, personal, and teacher thinking factors were also associated with EBIP adoption. Results point toward productive avenues through which department leaders, chemistry education scholars, and pedagogical developers and disseminators can promote instructional reform.
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