Diffusion of research-based instructional strategies: the case of SCALE-UP

Abstract

Background: Many innovative teaching strategies have been developed under the assumption that documenting successful student learning outcomes at the development site is enough to spread the innovation successfully to secondary sites. Since this 'show them and they will adopt' model has yet to produce the desired large-scale transformation, this study examines one innovative teaching strategy that has demonstrated success in spreading. This instructional strategy, Student-Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-down Pedagogies (SCALE-UP), modifies both the pedagogy and classroom design to maximize interaction and activity-based learning. A web survey was used to develop a census of instructors who have been influenced by SCALE-UP. Results: SCALE-UP, which started in large enrollment university physics, has spread widely across disciplines and institutions. The survey identified that SCALE-UP style instruction is currently used in over a dozen disciplines at a minimum of 314 departments in at least 189 higher education institutions in 21 countries. Many more respondents indicated learning about SCALE-UP via interpersonal channels, such as talks/workshops and colleagues, than via mass media channels, such as the Internet and publications. We estimate the dissemination of SCALE-UP in physics may be at the tipping point between adoption by adventurous early users and the more mainstream majority. Implementers demonstrate pedagogical and structural variation in their use of SCALE-UP.

Perceived affordances and constraints regarding instructors’ use of Peer Instruction: Implications for promoting instructional change

“…Instructors' perceptions depend on the specific innovation being considered and are influenced by the means by which they learned about the innovation.-Instructors are exposed to RBIS through a variety of means, most typically through conversations with professional colleagues, journal articles and (or) books, formal presentations, or workshops [26,34,35]. Through these communication mechanisms, instructors (at times in negotiation with others) develop some understanding of what a particular RBIS is and this invariably has some dependence on the form of the particular innovation.…”

Enabling and challenging factors in institutional reform: The case of SCALE-UP

“…In prior work, we used a web survey to develop a census of SCALE-UP users in the United States [21]. The survey results provided evidence that some secondary sites achieved successful, sustained implementations.…”

“…A web survey and a census of SCALE-UP users was a precursor to this study [21]. In fall 2013, survey invitations were sent to the approximately 1300 members of the developer's SCALE-UP database.…”

“…The final sample included 639 survey respondents (a 49% response rate). Using the survey data, we conducted several levels of analysis [21], including a social network analysis [38].…”

“…Robert Beichner adjusted this studio-style instruction for his large enrollment classes at North Carolina State University, giving it the acronym SCALE-UP "Student Centered Active Learning with Upside-down Pedagogies." This mode of studio-style instruction has successfully spread to a wide range of class sizes, institution types, and dozens of disciplines at over 300 higher education departments worldwide [21]. In this study, we use SCALE-UP as a case study to examine the enabling and challenging factors of institutional and departmental-level change.…”