The use of evidence-based instructional practices in the context of undergraduate biology: A case study

The number of undergraduate degrees earned in STEM fields is declining nationally. One cause for this phenomenon may be the nature of the instructional practices enacted in the context of undergraduate education. An exploration of how and why higher education faculty use (or fail to use) evidence-based instructional practices may provide the field with greater insight into how to increase STEM retention. The research questions that guided this study are as follows:

1. First, in the context of biology education at a small, liberal arts university, what do biology faculty perceive to be the factors that influence their use of (or failure to use) evidence-based instructional practices in their undergraduate biology classrooms and laboratories?
2. Second, how do university policies in this context encourage or discourage the incorporation of evidence-based instructional practices in the context of undergraduate biology classrooms and laboratories? The researcher conducted a case study at a small, liberal arts institution. Data collected included interviews with biology faculty and with undergraduate students majoring in biology. The researcher also reviewed course syllabi, university webpages, and the university’s faculty manual. Findings revealed that institutional support is a significant factor in promoting the use of evidence-based instructional practices.