The professional identity of STEM faculty as instructors of course-based research experiences

The professional identity of scientists has historically been cultivated to value research over teaching, which can undermine initiatives that aim to reform science education. Course-Based Research Experiences (CRE) and the inclusive Research and Education Communities (iREC) are two successful and impactful reform efforts that integrate research and teaching. The aim of this study is to explicate the professional identity of instructors who implement a CRE within an established iREC and to explore how this identity contributes to the success of these programs. 97 CRE instructors from the Science Education Alliance (SEA) iREC participated in a 2-year, multi-stage, qualitative research project that involved weekly reflective journaling, autoethnographic description, small group evaluation and writing, and large-scale community checking. The resulting description of professional identity consisted of shared <i>values</i> (inclusivity, student success, community membership, ownership/agency, science, overcoming failure, and persistence), specified <i>roles</i> (mentor, advocate, scientist, educator, motivator, collaborator, community builder, learner, evaluator and project manager) and a stated <i>sense of self</i> (dedicated, resilient, pride in students, multiskilled, valued, community member, responsible and overworked). Analysis of individual reflective diary entries revealed how a professional identity underpinned and facilitated the ways in which faculty addressed challenges that arose and worked towards the success of every student. It is the self-concept of the professional identity of the instructor in the context of the CRE classroom that directed the extended commitment and effort that these instructors evidently put into their work with students, which facilitated student engagement, student persistence, and their collective scientific output. The study concludes that a professional identity of STEM faculty in the context of a CRE and iREC combines being a researcher and educator, and that this integrated identity is central for current initiatives aimed at transforming undergraduate STEM education.

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Publication Details

Journal
Frontiers in Education
Published
2024-10-24
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1442306
Citations
8
Primary Topic
Career Development and Diversity
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
4.21
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article

The professional identity of STEM faculty as instructors of course-based research experiences

Kristen Johnson, Jacob D. Kagey, Iain Duffy, Shallee T. Page et al.
8 citations
Frontiers in Education
Career Development and Diversity
4.21
article

The professional identity of STEM faculty as instructors of course-based research experiences

Kristen Johnson, Jacob D. Kagey, Iain Duffy, Shallee T. Page, Victoria Frost, Urszula Golebiewska, Kristen Butela, Yesmi Patricia Ahumada‐Santos, Richard S. Pollenz, Jon Mitchell, Daniel A. Russell, Christine A. Byrum, Stephanie B. Conant, Ellen Wisner, Allison A. Johnson, Denise L. Monti, Megan K. Dennis, Germán Rosas-Acosta, María Alejandra Mussi, Vassie C. Ware, Kathryn P. Kohl, Jillian C. Nissen, Sean T. Coleman, Fernando Nieto, Frederick N. Baliraine, Nancy Guild, Erin Doyle, Amy B. Sprenkle, Christa T. Bancroft, Dustin Edwards, Nick T. Peters, Margaret S. Saha, Danielle M. Heller, Richard M. Alvey, Daniel C. Williams, Quinn Vega, Mary L. Preuss, David I. Hanauer, Sharon Gusky, Sean P. McClory, D. Smith Bailey, Tiara Pérez Morales, Viknesh Sivanathan, Regina V. Alvarez, Justin Anderson, Kara Thoemke, Matthew D. Mastropaolo, Suparna Bhalla, Ping An, Patrick Collins, Deborah M. Tobiason, Graham F. Hatfull, Lee E. Hughes, Jessica M. Rocheleau, Christy Fillman, Susanne P. Pfeifer, Heather Lindberg, C. Nicole Sunnen, Alyssa M. Gleichsner, Imade Y. Nsa, Ann M. Findley, Sarah Swerdlow, Sally D. Molloy, Mary A. Ayuk, Kari Clase, Alison E. Moyer, Julia Y. Lee‐Soety, Renee Ho, Catherine Ward, María Elena Báez‐Flores, Andréa Beyer, Megan Valentine, Mark Graham, Steven G. Cresawn, Pamela L. Connerly, Julie A. Merkle, Karen K. Klyczek, Donald P. Breakwell, Bernadette J. Connors, Maria D. Gainey, Sara S. Tolsma, William H. Biederman, Holly Nance, Pushpa Ramakrishna, Elizabeth Behr, Jesús Ricardo Parra Unda, Laura Cecilia Bono, Deborah Jacobs-Sera, Melinda Harrison
article en
8 citations

Abstract

The professional identity of scientists has historically been cultivated to value research over teaching, which can undermine initiatives that aim to reform science education. Course-Based Research Experiences (CRE) and the inclusive Research and Education Communities (iREC) are two successful and impactful reform efforts that integrate research and teaching. The aim of this study is to explicate the professional identity of instructors who implement a CRE within an established iREC and to explore how this identity contributes to the success of these programs. 97 CRE instructors from the Science Education Alliance (SEA) iREC participated in a 2-year, multi-stage, qualitative research project that involved weekly reflective journaling, autoethnographic description, small group evaluation and writing, and large-scale community checking. The resulting description of professional identity consisted of shared <i>values</i> (inclusivity, student success, community membership, ownership/agency, science, overcoming failure, and persistence), specified <i>roles</i> (mentor, advocate, scientist, educator, motivator, collaborator, community builder, learner, evaluator and project manager) and a stated <i>sense of self</i> (dedicated, resilient, pride in students, multiskilled, valued, community member, responsible and overworked). Analysis of individual reflective diary entries revealed how a professional identity underpinned and facilitated the ways in which faculty addressed challenges that arose and worked towards the success of every student. It is the self-concept of the professional identity of the instructor in the context of the CRE classroom that directed the extended commitment and effort that these instructors evidently put into their work with students, which facilitated student engagement, student persistence, and their collective scientific output. The study concludes that a professional identity of STEM faculty in the context of a CRE and iREC combines being a researcher and educator, and that this integrated identity is central for current initiatives aimed at transforming undergraduate STEM education.

Frontiers in EducationVol. 9
Brigham Young University (US), University of North Carolina at Charlotte (US), Western Carolina University (US), Virginia Western Community College (US), Benedictine University (US), University of Southern California (US), Virginia State University (US), University of North Florida (US), LeTourneau University (US), James Madison University (US), Texas Tech University (US), University of North Texas (US), Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US), Howard University (US), SUNY Old Westbury (US), Saint Leo University (US), University of Wisconsin–River Falls (US), University of Evansville (US), William & Mary (US), Neumann University (US), The University of Texas at El Paso (US), Montclair State University (US), Winthrop University (US), University of Pittsburgh (US), Iowa State University (US), Carthage College (US), Madison Area Technical College (US), Amherst College (US), University of New Hampshire at Manchester (US), College of St. Scholastica (US), Illinois Wesleyan University (US), Virginia Commonwealth University (US), Lehigh University (US), University of Colorado Boulder (US), Dominican University (US), Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa (MX), Southeastern Louisiana University (US), University of Lagos (NG), Indiana University of Pennsylvania (US), Cabrini University (US), College of Charleston (US), Coastal Carolina University (US), Northern State University (US), Purdue University West Lafayette (US), University of Massachusetts Amherst (US), University of South Florida (US), Williams (United States) (US), Durham Technical Community College (US), Mitchell Community College (US), Northwestern Connecticut Community College (US), Yale University (US), Wartburg College (US), National University of Rosario (AR), University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg (US), Indiana University Southeast (US), Doane University (US), Conway School of Landscape Design (US), Salem State University (US), Coppin State University (US), La Salle University (US), Queensborough Community College, CUNY (US), Saint Joseph's University (US), Arizona State University (US), SUNY Plattsburgh (US), Northwestern College - Iowa (US), University of Louisiana at Monroe (US), University of Detroit Mercy (US), Drexel University (US), College of Coastal Georgia (US), Tarleton State University (US), University of Maine (US), Dominican College of Blauvelt (US), Mount Saint Mary College (US), Marist University (US), Franklin Pierce University (US), Webster University (US)
Quality Education
Openalex Percentile: Top 5%
Career Development and Diversity
4.21
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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