About Hunter Higher Education Research

Hunter Higher Education Research seeks to assist colleges and universities in using research findings to foster institutional excellence in teaching and student learning through evidence-based strategies. It operates by putting research into the hands of practitioners, policymakers and other researchers in usable ways. It disseminates research findings and products that can improve educational practice through consulting, the organization?s webpage, conference presentations, and journal publications.

The mission of Hunter Higher Education Research is directed at improving college science teaching and learning and the preparation of a diversity of talent for the global challenges of the 21st Century.

The Need

History and Rationale

For the past 20 years, Anne-Barrie Hunter has worked in an independent research unit, Ethnography & Evaluation Research (E&ER), Center to Advance Research and Teaching in the Social Sciences (CARTSS), at the University of Colorado, Boulder; she has been co-director of the research unit for the past four years. From its inception, E&ER has been entirely self-supporting through successful proposals for research grants to study issues of college science education from organizations such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), Research Corporation, and the Alfred P. Sloan, Spencer, Noyce, and Exxon-Mobile Foundations. It has also responded to requests for expert research and evaluation of (often innovative) institutional programs in science education.

E&ER specializes in and is known for qualitative and mixed-methods research and evaluation studies in the field of college science education. A book published from the first research study on which Hunter worked, Talking about Leaving (Seymour & Hewitt, 1997), presented students? reasons for switching out of STEM majors: among a range of factors, the top ten reasons students reported for switching out of science cited poor teaching. They cited problems of pace and workload, inadequate conceptual connections between lecture, assignments, laboratory work and assessment, as well as lack of relevance and application of subject material. Students who switched had comparable GPAs to those students who stayed. Such findings disputed traditional academic views that field switching is due largely to students? limitations or abilities, their under-preparation to undertake a STEM major, or their choice to pursue preferred interests. This book was published at a time when national science education policy organizations were raising alarms about America?s ability to compete with the technological workforce needs of the global future. Many reports have defined improved recruitment and retention of students in STEM majors as critical. An emphasis on increasing the diversity of students in STEM-based education and careers has also prompted considerable national effort. This has been effective in increasing the representation of women in many STEM fields, but far less successful with respect to underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities for reasons that are not well understood. These issues are still of significant concern, as is reflected in recent reports, notably, Innovate America: Thriving in a World of Challenge and Change, Council on Competitiveness, 2005; Recommendations for Urgent Action, Project Kaleidoscope, 2005; and Rising above the Gathering Storm, National Research Council, 2006. While Talking about Leaving helped to spur a national education effort to improve science students? conceptual and critical understanding through active, interactive and inquiry-based learning, considerable evidence remains that our research findings of 12 years ago highlighting poor teaching in science education are still disconcertingly relevant.

Since the publication of Talking about Leaving, Hunter has conducted and collaborated on research and evaluation studies of STEM education initiatives that seek to improve quality and access in these fields. This work has included study of pedagogical innovation, student learning, professional development, and issues of institutional change. Although national science education change initiatives have strongly promoted the improvement of college science teaching, the uptake of effective pedagogies has been slow and dispersed. From our experience, improving science education teaching at the college level has often relied upon single and small groups of faculty members who have little institutional support for their work. These faculty members encounter resistance from colleagues who insist upon ?covering content? and the ?transmission? model of teaching by lecture and from departments and institutions that do not recognize effective pedagogy or value education research in their rewards systems. While there is a body of research on faculty professional development directed at improving teaching practices, as yet, a national database of ?best practices? that would support and promote their widespread uptake of effective professional development (although the National Academy of Sciences is currently working on just such an initiative). And while there is a body of research on organizational change in higher education, there has been little study of the processes of change among faculty members, their departments, or their institutions in university and colleges within STEM education.

The mission of Hunter Higher Education Research is to continue to build upon education research and investigate what organizational change best promotes the scale-up of proven, research-based practices in college science education. Results from this research inform critical questions facing college science education and national science education policy organizations by contributing much needed understanding of how best to implement effective pedagogical and curricular practice in higher education.

The funding model for Hunter Higher Education Research is applying for grants requiring 501c3 tax exempt status.

OPERATIONS
Hunter Higher Education Research is a not-for-profit corporation governed by a Board of Directors that seeks funding from individuals and granting agencies to support research that investigates and promotes improved practice in US college science education. The organization has a paid executive director and no volunteers. The Board of Directors will meet annually and provide direction and guidance to the executive director. Board of Director meetings will be conducted from Colorado and some may participate via phone or email/electronic methods. The day to day activity of the organization will be conducted from Colorado with meetings held by the Executive Director at various collegiate institutions or conferences throughout the country. This activity furthers the exempt purpose of the organization by ensuring the organization is successful in delivery of programs and services and operates in a sound and responsible manner. This activity is funded by grants to the organization written by the Executive Director. This activity will constitute ten percent (10%) of the organization?s annual time.

RESEARCH
The program of the organization is to provide higher education institutions research and information for successful implementation of improved educational teaching techniques and programs for improved student learning. The Executive Director will write Requests for Proposals to universities desiring information on these educational programs and creating sustained reform of these programs including organizational change to implement suggested programs. The Executive Director will conduct research, data analysis, write up of the research and data and dissemination of the results including travels to institutions and conferences. Universities will receive information closing the gap between research on effective learning and classroom implementation and improved teaching techniques for faculty. This activity will be conducted year round in Colorado and throughout the country by the Executive Director. This activity furthers the exempt purpose of the organization by ensuring the delivery of the program. This is the primary activity of the organization. This activity will constitute seventy percent (70%) of the organization?s annual time.

FUNDRAISING
The Executive Director of the organization will write grants to obtain funding for the work of the organization. The organization will seek individual donations and may conduct fundraising events. This activity will be conducted year round. This activity meets the exempt purpose of the organization by ensuring available funds are obtained for the implementation of programs and operations of the organization. This activity will constitute twenty percent (20%) of the organization?s annual time.