PROSTARS, in collaboration with Boston University’s Center for Excellence and Innovation in Teaching (CEIT), is initiating a series of faculty workshops and visitor seminar programs this spring to integrate innovative methods in undergraduate STEM education to directly address ineffective modes of instruction in introductory and gateway STEM courses. Since lecturing is still the primary method used in STEM education, a key focus of our workshops and seminars is the implementation and refinement of interactive learning techniques in both small- and large-lecture classrooms.

Our desire for participation is to focus on groups of faculty that co-teach a given intro STEM course, as well as other interested teaching faculty. The material that is presented and discussed at the workshops can then be incorporated across all sections for a particular class. We would also like to offer 3-4 “mini-grants’ of $500 to $1000 to support faculty members that participate in these workshops and are eager to implement new ideas and pedagogical techniques. The funding will be split between the faculty member’s department, the CET and PROSTARS, 50%:25%:25% respectively.