About the Teaching Experiment Academy

The Teaching Experiment Academy (TEA) program is designed for STEM faculty teaching lower-division undergraduate courses to redesign an existing course guided by the mastery learning model and employing specifications grading to encourage a growth mindset for student success. 35 faculty from UCI, SJSU, and CPP will be supported by the TEA faculty learning community during the course redesign process. 

Three Areas of Focus:

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Faculty Development

  • Fostering a faculty learning-community  
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Course Redesign

  • Adopting mastery learning and specifications grading in STEM teaching
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Student Success

  • Increasing growth mindset to support STEM learning success

About the Team

A collaborative team from the University of California Irvine (UCI), San Jose State University (SJSU), and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (CPP), will create a cohort-based faculty development program, the Teaching Experiment Academy (TEA).

Michael Dennin

Michael Dennin

Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning, UCI

Megan Linos

Megan Linos

Director of LX Design & Online Education, UCI

Victoria Bhavsar

Victoria Bhavsar

Director of the Center for the Advancement of Faculty Excellence, CPP

Nikos Mourtos

Nikos Mourtos

Department Chair of Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering, SJSU

Laura Sullivan-Green

Laura Sullivan-Green

Department Chair of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, SJSU

Eileen Chen

Eileen Chen

Instructional Designer, College of Engineering, SJSU

The Master Trainers

Renée Link

Renée Link

Professor of Teaching in Chemistry, UC Irvine

William J Howitz

William J Howitz

Organic Chemistry Laboratory Coordinator, Georgia Institute of Technology

Kate McKnelly

Kate McKnelly

Lecturer in Chemistry, Emory University

Project Timeline

9

2020 - 2021

  • Conduct literature review and design assessment tools
  • Develop the training curriculum and material
  • Host introductory mini-seminars with external experts
9

2021 - 2022

  • Deliver the faculty peer coach training program
  • Launch a STEM course redesign program
  • Implement redesigned curriculum in STEM teaching
9

Post 2022

  • Invite participants to the TEA teaching showcase event
  • Establish a Faculty Learning Community
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Faculty Supported

Students Impacted

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CA Learning Labs

In 2018, Assembly Bill 1809 established the California Education Learning Lab (“Learning Lab”). Housed at the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, the Learning Lab hosts competitive grant opportunities for intersegmental faculty teams to increase learning outcomes and close equity gaps across California’s public higher education segments.

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