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STEM Faculty Professional Development: Measuring the Impact on College Student Grades and Identifying Critical Program Components

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Title: STEM Faculty Professional Development: Measuring the Impact on College Student Grades and Identifying Critical Program Components
Language: English
Authors: Mary F. McCarthy Hintz (ORCID 0000-0002-6985-4560), Lynn M. Tashiro, Judi Kusnick, Sabrina Solanki, De-Laine M. Cyrenne (ORCID 0000-0003-1487-1002), Di Xu
Source: Journal of Research in Science Teaching. 2025 62(7):1795-1813.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 19
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE)
Department of Education (ED)
Contract Number: 1832335
PO31S150197
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: College Faculty, Faculty Development, STEM Education, College Students, Grades (Scholastic), Program Descriptions, Outcome Measures, Outcomes of Education, State Universities, Academic Achievement, Online Courses, Asynchronous Communication, Active Learning, Student Improvement, Teaching Methods
Geographic Terms: California
DOI: 10.1002/tea.22029
ISSN: 0022-4308
1098-2736
Abstract: Higher education institutions commonly provide faculty professional development (PD) in teaching and learning, with the goal of enhancing student outcomes by improving instructional quality. Yet few existing studies link PD participation with student outcome measures. Empirical evidence on the impact of PD on student performance in higher education, particularly in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education is limited. Using institutional data from a large state university in California, we address this gap by estimating the impact of two online PD programs on student performance: an asynchronous program about developing online courses, open to faculty from all disciplines; and a synchronous program designed exclusively for STEM faculty, concentrating on STEM-specific challenges and active learning strategies in online instruction. Using a difference-in-difference approach, our results indicate that both PD programs improved student grades, while only the STEM-specific PD improved DFW rates and addressed equity gaps. To explain the difference in results between the two PD programs, we invoke a theoretical model positing that to improve student outcomes, faculty PD must teach strategies known to improve student performance, it must teach that content in ways known to improve faculty learning, and it must support faculty as they implement new strategies.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1482092
Database: ERIC
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  Data: STEM Faculty Professional Development: Measuring the Impact on College Student Grades and Identifying Critical Program Components
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mary+F%2E+McCarthy+Hintz%22">Mary F. McCarthy Hintz</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6985-4560">0000-0002-6985-4560</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lynn+M%2E+Tashiro%22">Lynn M. Tashiro</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Judi+Kusnick%22">Judi Kusnick</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sabrina+Solanki%22">Sabrina Solanki</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22De-Laine+M%2E+Cyrenne%22">De-Laine M. Cyrenne</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1487-1002">0000-0003-1487-1002</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Di+Xu%22">Di Xu</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Research+in+Science+Teaching%22"><i>Journal of Research in Science Teaching</i></searchLink>. 2025 62(7):1795-1813.
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: 19
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Faculty%22">College Faculty</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Faculty+Development%22">Faculty Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22STEM+Education%22">STEM Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Students%22">College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grades+%28Scholastic%29%22">Grades (Scholastic)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Descriptions%22">Program Descriptions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Outcome+Measures%22">Outcome Measures</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Outcomes+of+Education%22">Outcomes of Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22State+Universities%22">State Universities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Achievement%22">Academic Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Online+Courses%22">Online Courses</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Asynchronous+Communication%22">Asynchronous Communication</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Active+Learning%22">Active Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Improvement%22">Student Improvement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+Methods%22">Teaching Methods</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22California%22">California</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1002/tea.22029
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  Data: 0022-4308<br />1098-2736
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  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Higher education institutions commonly provide faculty professional development (PD) in teaching and learning, with the goal of enhancing student outcomes by improving instructional quality. Yet few existing studies link PD participation with student outcome measures. Empirical evidence on the impact of PD on student performance in higher education, particularly in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education is limited. Using institutional data from a large state university in California, we address this gap by estimating the impact of two online PD programs on student performance: an asynchronous program about developing online courses, open to faculty from all disciplines; and a synchronous program designed exclusively for STEM faculty, concentrating on STEM-specific challenges and active learning strategies in online instruction. Using a difference-in-difference approach, our results indicate that both PD programs improved student grades, while only the STEM-specific PD improved DFW rates and addressed equity gaps. To explain the difference in results between the two PD programs, we invoke a theoretical model positing that to improve student outcomes, faculty PD must teach strategies known to improve student performance, it must teach that content in ways known to improve faculty learning, and it must support faculty as they implement new strategies.
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: EJ1482092
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1482092
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        Value: 10.1002/tea.22029
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 19
        StartPage: 1795
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: College Faculty
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Faculty Development
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      – SubjectFull: STEM Education
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      – SubjectFull: College Students
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      – SubjectFull: Grades (Scholastic)
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      – SubjectFull: Program Descriptions
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      – SubjectFull: Outcome Measures
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      – SubjectFull: State Universities
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      – SubjectFull: Academic Achievement
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      – SubjectFull: Student Improvement
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      – SubjectFull: California
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      – TitleFull: STEM Faculty Professional Development: Measuring the Impact on College Student Grades and Identifying Critical Program Components
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