The Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative (CWSEI) is a multi-year project in the Faculty of Science at The University of British Columbia aimed at dramatically improving undergraduate science education.
As part of the Science Centre for Learning and Teaching (http://sclt.science.ubc.ca), the CWSEI helps departments take a four-step, scientific approach to teaching:
- Establish what students should learn
- Scientifically measure what students are actually learning
- Adapt instructional methods and curriculum and incorporate effective use of technology and pedagogical research to achieve desired learning outcomes
- Disseminate and adopt what works
A key factor in this change has been the addition of Science Teaching and Learning Fellows in each of the departments: post-docs/junior faculty bringing deep disciplinary expertise and training in current learning science to partner with faculty members as course consultants in creating or adapting evidence-based methods and measuring effectiveness toward learning.