Author(s):
The Vision & Change (V&C) movement in undergraduate biology education has guided instructors for decades. While many components of V&C have been well researched (ie, active learning), the movement has proven challenging to evaluate. We hypothesized that this difficulty stems from the variable nature of V&C implementation across contexts as well as the movement’s evolving definition and boundaries. To address this gap, the Paths to Change project investigated V&C’s theory of change by leveraging an evaluation approach known as pathway modeling. This process involves observing, defining, and representing what is known about the V&C in a visual format and then validating the model through reviewing the literature and holding focus groups with stakeholders. The resulting products – a pathway model of V&C along with the Paths to Change report– highlight key outcomes of the movement and recommendations for evaluation. Findings underscore the effectiveness of the pedagogical focus and individual strategies in V&C and emphasize the need for greater attention to student-instructor relationships, diversity and equity, and institutional support. By providing a roadmap for development and evaluation, the project enhances the potential impact of the V&C movement and contributes to advancements in undergraduate STEM education.
Coauthors
Jane Buckley, JCB Consulting, Rochester, NY; Julia Gill, Oxford University, Oxford, UK; Josh Panos, Yale University, New Haven CT; Mark Graham, Yale University, New Haven CT.
