Transforming STEM Teaching Faculty Learning Program

Temporarily on Hold

A professional learning program for STEM faculty to redefine the college lecture

Goal & Objectives

The Transforming STEM Teaching Faculty Learning Program (FLP) is a professional learning program for all university and college instructors of STEM courses. The FLP is designed to improve STEM faculty’s instructional practice and to be sustainably adopted by institutions. The program nurtures an interdisciplinary learning community, provides continuous support, and is situated within faculty’s everyday work. As faculty redefine their role in the undergraduate lecture, students’ learning gains and experiences in these courses will be affected positively. 

The goal of the FLP is to improve student achievement in STEM undergraduate courses. The program has the following objectives:

  • Deepen faculty’s understanding of how people learn
  • Change teaching behavior to support student learning
  • Engage STEM faculty in habits of reflection
  • Nurture a tradition of continued learning about teaching
  • Build a faculty learning community

The FLP was written and developed for dissemination by Lynn Tran and Catherine Halversen at U.C. Berkeley through funding from the National Science Foundation (DUE #1626624).

Over 300 STEM faculty from the following campuses have participated so far:

  • University of California (7 campuses are leading their own FLP cohorts)
  • California State University (12 campuses are leading their own FLP cohorts)
  • California Community Colleges (36, with several leading their own FLP cohorts)

If you are faculty at UC Berkeley interested in becoming a FLP Fellow: 

  • The next cohort will begin Spring/Summer 2020
  • Applications will be posted here in Winter/Spring 2020
  • Contact Michelle Douskey (douskey@berkeley.edu) for more information

Design and Parts

The FLP is designed as a blended experience to cultivate relationships among faculty while also making it convenient for them to participate over time. This means faculty first meet in-person for two days to be immersed in discussions on learning, introduced to the program, and become familiar with each other. All subsequent meetings take place online over video conference to continue the learning together.

The FLP is organized into two parts that are implemented over a 10-month period during the academic year. In this way, learning activities are situated within faculty’s everyday work.

Part I: Focus and activities

  • Explore and discuss current research on how people learn and how to support learning
  • Try out and become familiar with teaching routines for active learning in your classes
  • Re-design an existing course (or unit or activity) that applies research and practices on supporting learning

Part II: Focus and activities

  • Apply research on learning and teaching into redesigned course
  • Learn and practice skills in observing and providing feedback on teaching
  • Reflect on one’s teaching practice through peer observations with peers

What FLP Fellows have said about their experience

Faculty participant responses from participating universities and colleges:

  • "I absolutely would recommend this program to other faculty. Having had the opportunity to observe my recording and hear the feedback from my peers has definitely been transformative."
  • "The program is eye-opening; it gives one an important fundamental and practical understanding of how to be an effective college teacher. I believe that in the longer term, the program truly brings about a transformation in teachers' thinking about teaching and the approaches that one takes."

Facilitator responses from participating universities

  • "We are always looking for ways to articulate content and practice between 2 and 4-year institutions and to model best practices for our students. Working as a community instead of disjointed institutions is so important for this articulation. The FLP made this possible!!"
  • “The most effective part, and I think the most long lasting, will be the sense of community and support they have given one another. Sharing their ideas, getting validation for their accomplishments, and as a community improving in their teaching practice has been so motivating for all of them.”
  • “Yes (I would recommend it)! Coming together with other faculty to discuss (and demonstrate) the effectiveness of new teaching/learning strategies is the single best way to achieve buy-in from faculty to actually change something.”
  • “YES [I would recommend it]. It seems to be the most intensive and effective way to get faculty engaged in real change- in trying something new and sticking to it.”
  • “It feels like the most effective faculty development program I have yet been a part of.”

Download more information here.

Adopting FLP at your institution

The Transforming STEM Teaching Faculty Learning Program (FLP) is designed for institutional adoption. There are two ways to acquire the program. 

  1. Participate in the FLP Full Course. The full course is the FLP as designed, led by UC Berkeley, for participants from multiple institutions who have intentions to implement the FLP at their institutions afterwards.
    1. Institutions choosing the full course option may have limited capacity to facilitate the FLP, and appreciate the opportunity to fully immerse in the program as a learner. Participating faculty may have an interest in taking on faculty development responsibilities in the future.
    2. FLP Fellows from the full course become FLP Facilitators upon completion of the FLP.

  2. Participate in the FLP Short Course. The short course is a condensed variation of the FLP intended to prepare participants to facilitate the 10-month academic year program at their own institution. 
    1. Institutions choosing the Short Course have faculty development capacity through a STEM faculty member and/or faculty developer. However, they would benefit from a course to acquaint them with the FLP content, format, and materials.
    2. To become FLP Facilitators, participants discuss the ideas and experience the activities of Part I in a two-day workshop and three online sessions, and then teach FLP Part I at their institutions. Afterwards, they participate in two additional online sessions for FLP Part II in preparation to teach Part II. Short Course participants use the same FLP materials that they will teach, with discussions first focusing on the content to give them the chance to engage in it themselves, and then on how to facilitate others to make sense of it.

Fees

There is a one-time fee for participating in either course and a separate, one-time fee for the course materials for implementation.

  • For public colleges and universities in California, please contact Catherine Halversen (chalver@berkeley.edu) for costs.

For institutions outside of the California public colleges and universities:

 10-month long full course (12p/cohort)

  • $5,000 for 1 faculty; $8,500 for 2 faculty to participate in the full program. We encourage you to send a pair of faculty or one faculty developer and a STEM faculty. At the end of the program, these faculty can lead the program for other STEM faculty at your institution upon purchase of the online curriculum cartridge.
  • For $20,000, after completion of the program, you may purchase and import the cartridge into your own institution's learning management system; provides unlimited access to the materials for all STEM faculty at your institution. Ask about our sliding scale and scholarships.
  • Consultations from UC Berkeley FLP Directors
  • Total cost for the entire program (based on 2 faculty participating) $28,500 one-time fee
  • A limited number of scholarships are available – please inquire.

Short Course (12p/cohort)

  • $5000 for 1 faculty; $8500 for up to 3 people from your institution to participate. We encourage a faculty developer, and associate faculty developer and/or 1-2 STEM faculty to participate.
  • For $20,000, after completion of the program, you may purchase and import the cartridge into your own institution's learning management system; provides unlimited access to the materials for all STEM faculty at your institution. Ask about our sliding scale and scholarships.
  • Consultations from UC Berkeley FLP Directors
  • Total cost for the entire program (based on 2-3 faculty participating) $28,500 one-time fee

Agreement

What we are responsible for:

  • Providing a professional learning experience during the in-person and online sessions based on how people learn and designed using research-based effective practices
  • Offering breakfast, lunch, and coffee/tea during workshop days
  • Scheduling online sessions so that participants can participate
  • Giving access to the Faculty Learning Program online modules during participation in the course (Short Course or 10-month long program)
  • Providing the FLP online modules for import into your own learning management system to use with your faculty, upon purchase of the FLP Program Modules cartridge
  • Presenting you with a certificate as a Faculty Learning Program Fellow upon completion of the program
  • Program consultations

What you are responsible for:

  • Attending the two-day workshop in-person
  • Participating in the synchronous video conference meetings after the workshop, including having access to: a web camera on your computer, a phone or computer microphone for communicating verbally during the meetings, and a robust internet connection
  • Paying for your own:
    • Housing (we are happy to make suggestions for hotels, including those within easy walking distance of the workshop location on campus)
    • Transportation to Berkeley, CA and the University of California Berkeley campus, or other host workshop location.
    • Meals on travel days and dinners during the workshop
  • Making no distribution, sale, or copy of the Faculty Learning Program online modules. If you want to make small modifications of the modules to add content and additional resources, or to refine the program to tailor it to your community, you must consult with the program directors in advance. The Faculty Learning Program online modules are copyrighted by The Regents of the University of California and are for your or your organization’s use only. 

If you agree, complete the application form. In special circumstances, we may generate a contract to formalize our agreement.  We will contact you to confirm and include the total cost of the program you decide to implement. Payment is due three (3) weeks before services begin.  Payment can be in the form of a purchase order, credit card, or check, payable to “UC Regents.” 

Apply here