Achieving Scale for STEM Reform: Studying & Enhancing Undergraduate STEM Networks

The project examined and compared four longstanding and successful undergraduate STEM reform networks (PKAL; SENCER; BioQUEST, and POGIL) that have different designs but a common purpose in order to understand how the networks can be most effectively designed to spread innovations among network members and ultimately on the campuses where they are employed.

Principal Investigators: Adrianna Kezar and Sean Gehrke (University of Southern California)

Dates: 2012-2016

Funding Agency: National Science Foundation

Adapting and Implementing Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) into the Chemistry Curriculums of Two Community Colleges

The project implemented POGIL materials in at least 13 chemistry courses, directly affecting up to 400 community college students at the two colleges.The intellectual merit and broader impact of this project is based on the prior success of POGIL at a variety of undergraduate institutions. POGIL has been demonstrated to improve students' ability to understand scientific content, and also students' ability to practice scientific methods.

Principal Investigator: Thomas Higgins (Harold Washington College)

Dates: 2006-2010
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation

ANA-POGIL - A New Approach to Analytical Chemistry: The Development of Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning Materials

A group of analytical chemists developed Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) materials that impart widely accepted analytical chemistry principles while engaging students as active learners and in communication. These analytical chemistry classroom POGIL activities were designed to be used collectively in traditional analytical chemistry courses as well as individually in an assortment of other courses that include analytical chemistry concepts.

Principal Investigators: Juliette Lantz (Drew University) and Renée Cole (University of Iowa)

Dates: 2007-2013

Funding Agency: National Science Foundation

Transforming Undergraduate Anatomy and Physiology Education Through the Use of Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning

The intent of this grant effort was to design and implement inquiry (i.e., POGIL) based lessons for entry-level anatomy and physiology courses. Specific objectives for this two-year grant include: a) design a set of 10 to 20 inquiry based learning activities; b) conduct formative testing in 6 to 8 local colleges and modify the materials as needed; c) widely distribute the revised curriculum through the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society (HAPS); d) construct a robust website that will provide support for both teachers and students involved with the program; and e) submit the final products (curriculum modules and web site) for approval by the POGIL office.

Principal Investigator: Murray Jensen (University of Minnesota)

Dates: 2011-2014

Funding Agency: National Science Foundation

Biochemistry

This project helped transform the way undergraduate biochemistry is taught in the classroom and hopes to have a broad impact on the STEM community. Faculty in undergraduate chemistry, biochemistry, and biology departments nationwide were given access to materials never before available, and workshop participants were trained and empowered to make real changes in the way they teach.

Principal Investigators: Vicky Minderhout and Jennifer Loertscher

Dates: 2007-2011

Funding Agency: National Science Foundation

Collaborative Research: Climate Change Concepts and POGIL

Attention to the specific impact of curricular materials on the development of student socio-scientific argumentation skills is a key ingredient in climate change education. This grant funded the development of a suite of in-class, group learning activities for climate change education that can be used in a variety of instructional contexts at the first–year college level. These 12 activities were constructed using the Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) model, an approach that is based on research on how students learn best, and has been successfully implemented in a range of other contexts.

Principal Investigators: Daniel King (Drexel University), Karen Anderson (Madison College), Doug Latch (Seattle University), Jennifer Lewis (University of South Florida), Susan Sutheimer (Green Mountain College), Gail Webster (Guilford College)

Dates: 2011-2015F

unding Agency: National Science Foundation

Computer Science in POGIL

This project developed, refined, validated and disseminated two sets of POGIL materials in computer science, specifically for software engineering and data structures and algorithms.

Principal Investigator:  Clif Kussmaul (Muhlenberg College)

Dates:  2011-2017

Funding Agency:  National Science Foundation

Computer Science in POGIL

This project, funded by Google Education and University Relations Fund of Tides Foundation, developed, refined, validated, and disseminated two sets of process oriented guided inquiry learning (POGIL) materials in computer science (CS), specifically for software engineering (SE) and data structures & algorithms (DS&A).

Principal Investigator: Clif Kussmaul (Muhlenberg College)

Dates: 2015-2016

Funding Agency: Google Education and University Relations Fund of Tides Foundation

Eliciting and Assessing Process Skills in STEM

In response to the national need to improve undergraduate STEM education, many instructors have implemented engaged student learning strategies into their courses. These pedagogies involve the development of students' process skills, such as teamwork, critical thinking, and problem solving, as students learn STEM content. Because most STEM instructors have little training in how to assess student performance in these areas, the goal of this project will be to create resources that can be readily adopted to assess student process skills in a wide range of classroom types and across STEM disciplines. A secondary  goal will be to create professional development tools to improve the recognition and assessment of process skills by instructors and administrators at academic institutions.  Visit http://elipss.com for more information.

Principal Investigators: Renée Cole (University of Iowa); Juliette Lantz (Drew University); Suzanne Ruder (Virginia Commonwealth University)

Dates: 2015-2020

Funding Agency: National Science Foundation

Engineering

This project developed and tested new classroom materials for the Introduction to Materials course within the engineering curriculum that utilizes an active learning, team-based approach. These materials were based upon a pedagogical approach developed for chemistry under an NSF CCLI National Dissemination grant.

Principal Investigator: Elliot Douglas (University of Florida)

Dates: 2007-2010

Funding Agency: National Science Foundation

Enriching Infrared Spectroscopy Through Inquiry-Based Activities

The goal of this project was to enhance student learning of Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in analytical and physical chemistry by developing problem-based (PB) laboratories linked to process-oriented guided-inquiry learning (POGIL) activities.The laboratories and activities developed will enable students to (1) build their own understanding of critical concepts in FTIR through guided inquiry, (2) enhance their understanding of physical chemistry concepts using FTIR, and (3) hone important process skills like teamwork, problem solving, and critical thinking.

Principal Investigators: Ruth Riter (Agnes Scott College), Sarah Winget (Agnes Scott College) and Richard Moog (The POGIL Project)

Dates: 2012-2017

Funding Agency: NSF

Large Class POGIL, Radical Change in Large-Class Instruction

The highly innovative, Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning method is poised to make a sizable leap toward the Project's long-term goal of effecting radical change in science instruction. While the method has been shown to increase conceptual learning and student satisfaction in small chemistry classes, POGIL Must make a leap toward lasting change by expanding into other disciplines. We believe that to further this goal, POGIL must be applied successfully to large classrooms. Adaptation of the POGIL process to the large class setting requires development and testing of new materials and facilitation techniques.

Principal Investigators: Andrei Straumanis (University of Washington) and Suzanne Ruder (Virginia Commonwealth University)

Dates: 2007-2010

Funding Agency: Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education

POGIL Math - Guided Inquiry Materials for Gatekeeper Courses in Mathematics

The project applied the approach of Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL), which has been successful in chemistry, to undergraduate and pre-calculus and first-semester calculus courses. The three main goals of the project were to create new POGIL learning materials for Calculus and Pre-Calculus where reform will have a large and visible impact; develop faculty expertise within the mathematics community to implement these new materials by presenting math-specific POGIL workshops at national mathematics meetings and POGIL summer workshops; and to conduct in-depth research on undergraduate mathematics education by implementing a case study design to examine learning in POGIL MATH classroom contexts.

Principal Investigators: Catherine Beneteau (U. of South Florida), Zdenka Guadarrama (Rockhurst University), Jill Guerra (U. of Arkansas - Ft. Smith) and Laurie Lenz (Marymount University)

Dates: 2011-2016

Funding Agency: National Science Foundation

POGIL-PCL and the Development and Implementation of Guided Inquiry Experiments for Physical Chemistry

This project implemented the principles of Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) in the physical chemistry laboratory, a required course for chemistry majors. The POGIL-PCL project had three objectives:
•To write at least 20 POGIL physical chemistry experiments based on an established rubric that have completed a screen-review-implementation-revise cycle and that include instructor's user guides.
•To promote the professional development of physical chemistry instructors with workshops focused on writing materials, developing implementation and facilitation strategies for POGIL physical chemistry experiments, and building a community of practitioners.
•To create a community of at least 27 physical chemistry instructors who write, review, implement,and use these experiments and who can train additional instructors after the project is complete.

Principal Investigators: Sally Hunnicutt (Virginia Commonwealth University), Alexander Grushow (Rider University) and Robert Whitnell (Guilford College)

Dates: 2011-2015

Funding Agency: National Science Foundation

POGIL-PCL: Student Learning in the Laboratory Through Sustained Faculty Development

This project conducted Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning-Physical Chemistry (POGIL-PCL) workshops for faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students. These workshops were held around the country at a variety of higher education institutions. Additionally, there was ongoing development of POGIL-PCL experiments served to engage returning and new faculty participants in sustaining the project. Student learning outcomes resulting from the use of POGIL-PCL materials in the laboratory were examined. Ultimately, the use of evidence-based student-centered active learning in the laboratory was analyzed and promoted and the learning that students achieve in an active-learning laboratory setting was characterized.

Principal Investigators: Sally-Hunnicutt (Virginia Commonwealth Univerity); Robert Whitnell (Guilford College); Alex Grushow (Rider University); Mark Muniz (Western Washington University)

Dates: 2017-2021

Funding Agency: National Science Foundation

Collaborative Research: Development of POGIL-in-Context Modules for General Chemistry

The goal of this project was to bring together two complementary research-based pedagogical advances, Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) and Process-Oriented Guided-Inquiry Learning (POGIL), in order to create focused active-learning activities that guide students in discovering the explicit connections between the concepts in general chemistry and real-world contexts.

Principal Investigators: David Hanson (Stony Brook University), Thomas Gilbert (Northeastern University) and John Goodwin (Coastal Carolina University)

Dates: 2007-2009

Funding Agency: National Science Foundation

POGIL and Research-Based Pedagogy Workshops for Chemistry Graduate Students

This project extended the reach of POGIL to a new population of potential participants who will likely be candidates for college chemistry faculty positions of all types. Provided future faculty the opportunity to connect with an established network that focuses on pedagogy and assessment.

Principal Investigator: Christopher Bauer (University of New Hampshire)
Dates: 2008-2011
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation

POGIL in Preparatory Chemistry (POGILnPREP)

Guided inquiry has been used in a variety of chemistry courses, from general chemistry through upper-level undergraduate courses. This student-centered approach is an alternative to the traditional lecturer-centered paradigm, and allows students to actively participate in class sessions through group work and collaboration, improving understanding and retention of material covered in class. The NSF-funded Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL, NSF Award DUE-0231120) project has been a successful approach in general chemistry, organic chemistry, and other advanced chemistry courses, primarily at residential campuses.

Principal Investigator: Joe March (University of Alabama at Birmingham)
Dates: 2006-2009

Funding Agency: National Science Foundation

Use of Guided Inquiry with Incorporation of Tablet PCs into the Preparatory Chemistry Classroom to Promote Student Learning

This project adapted existing guided inquiry based materials for two preparatory courses: one preparatory to general chemistry and the other to allied health chemistry. All work in these guided inquiry courses was done on Tablet PCs, submitted electronically to the instructors, and assessed using an electronic grading program called FastGrade. This program allowed the instructors to grade and provide feedback to each of student groups quickly after each class period.

Principal Investigators: Jeffrey Pribyl (Minnesota State University - Mankato), John Kaliski (Minnesota State University - Mankato) and Mary Hadley (Minnesota State University - Mankato)

Dates: 2007-2010
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation

Implementing the Science Writing Heuristic: An Advanced POGIL Workshop

The Science Writing Heuristic (SWH), an instructional technique that combines inquiry, collaborative work, and reflective writing, provides a structure for both students and teachers to do effective inquiry activities in the chemistry laboratory. This project met a national need for chemistry faculty and chemistry teaching assistants to effectively incorporate active-learning techniques and strategies in the academic laboratory. This project conductged workshops to train chemistry instructors and teaching assistants, from two- and four-year institutions and from large universities, and is developing web and CD/DVD based materials which enables instructor training without workshop attendance.

Principal Investigator: Thomas Greenbowe (Iowa State University)

Dates: 2006-2010
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation

Bridging to STEM Excellence

By using a consortium approach to coordinate and collectively improve proven professional development organizations, "the Bridging to STEM Excellence" (BTSE) project accelerated adoption of department- and program-level interventions with demonstrated evidence for improving student learning outcomes and retention. The BTSE project filled a gap by integrating strategies that supported individual faculty in improving their practices and encourage broader use by institutions, departments, and programs. The goal of the BTSE project was to accelerate change in higher education and teacher preparation by developing:
1. a community of practice among several national initiatives, increasing their reach and coordinating their support for professional development and programmatic change; and
2. a consultancy program that serves as a bridge between these coordinated national initiatives and individual institutional efforts to improve instruction and student support practices. Leveraging NSF investments over the past two decades, this effort supported the integration of national STEM professional development efforts with each other and with institutional approaches, moving towards holistic support for educators in their work and leading to improved outcomes for students.

Principal Investigators: Rick Moog (Franklin & Marshall College), Ellen Iverson (Science Education Resource Center at Carlton College), Cailin Orr (Science Education Resource Center at Carlton College)

Dates: 2019-2023

Funding Agency: National Science Foundation

Building Capacity in STEM Education Research via the POGIL Community

In an effort to promote the development of expertise in DBER among interested undergraduate STEM faculty members with little prior formal training in this area, The POGIL Project hosted an intensive week-long workshop for 16 early- and mid-career POGIL practitioners led by a team of five DBER scholars. The goal of this event was to introduce current POGIL practitioners to the knowledge and skills involved in design, implementation, and analysis of STEM education investigations. They were placed into teams of four based on their research interests, and over the following year they were supported in the development and implementation of a DBER project through regular virtual meetings with one of the DBER scholars serving as mentor. A final Follow-Up Meeting was held at the end of the year to assess progress and plan for future work. The extensive experience with students and POGIL learning environments of the participants provided a rich base of practice from which to develop and investigate meaningful research questions.

Principal Investigator: Rick Moog (Franklin & Marshall College)

Dates:  2020-2023

Funding Agency: National Science Foundation

Scaffolding & Tools for Instructors in Guided Inquiry Learning (STIGIL)

This NSF IUSE-ESL project will research the impacts of real-time dashboards, automatic feedback, and other scaffolding and tools to instructors and students in Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) and similar social constructivist learning environments. We have a functional web platform, a community of instructors to provide rich feedback, access to numerous learning activities, and a strong project team. Over two academic years, we will recruit and support 14 POGIL practitioners from multiple disciplines and contexts. We will provide training, stipends, and support to adapt, pilot, and assess learning activities. We will study instructor and student experiences using interviews, surveys, and platform data (e.g., responses, timings).

Principal Investigators:  Rick Moog (Franklin & Marshall College), Patricia Campbell (Campbell-Kibler Associates), Clif Kussmaul (Green Mango Associates)

Dates: 2022-2025

Funding Agency: National Science Foundation