Surveying the Landscape of Professional Development Research: Suggestions for New Perspectives in Design and Research

ABSTRACT

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) higher education is in need of improved teaching methods to increase learning for all students. Faculty professional development programs are a widespread strategy for fostering this improvement. Studies of faculty development programs have focused on program design and the impact of surrounding context, including both social supports for learning and institutional context. I reviewed these approaches, as well as work that focused on the faculty experience, and suggest that a larger perspective that encompasses learning over time and the interactions between disciplinary and institutional learning opportunities is important. This leads to both new design considerations and new research questions that focus on increasing faculty skill in learning about teaching and applying the results, as well as improving the impact of professional development beyond the immediate participants.

Key words: :

• professional development
• faculty learning
• research agenda
• professional development design

Acknowledgments

This commentary reflects experience gained on projects funded by the National Science Foundation, including the On the Cutting Edge Professional Development Program for Geoscience Faculty, and the Tracer study at Carleton College funded by the Spencer Foundation. I am indebted to many colleagues who have shaped my ideas regarding professional development and its study, including Jeanne Narum, Carol Rutz, Ellen Iverson, Kim Kastens, Judith Ramaley, Linda Slakey, Bill Condon, Gudrun Willet, Heather Macdonald, Dave Mogk, and Barb Tewksbury, and to a very helpful anonymous reviewer.