Outcomes of the PDP

To put the outcomes of the PDP into context, it is important to understand why so few professional development programs are able to show compelling outcomes:

Programs often lack challenging, actionable indicators of success

Self-reported changes in practice are unreliable

Observations of teaching are resource intensive

Documentation of what instructors & learners do, often doesn’t exist

Some examples of PDP outcomes are below

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PDP participants design authentic STEM experiences

that is, for example:

  • Designed ways for learners to contribute, explain, and justify their ideas to peers
  • Designed ways for learners to be recognized for their contributions

Evidence:

29 indicators of a well-designed PDP STEM learning experience

Slides showing evaluation of indicators

Paper describing indicators, process for evaluating, and outcomes

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PDP participants incorporate inclusive teaching strategies

Evidence:

Paper describing how PDP participant incorporated inclusive teaching (Santiago, et al., 2022)

Paper about measurable improvements made in how PDP participants understandings of inclusive teaching (Metevier, et al., 2010)
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Students taught by PDP participants learn and gain skills

such as:

  • Improving on STEM practices, such as using evidence to explain results
  • Using science concepts to explain an observation or result

Evidence:

Paper describing how a PDP alum incorporated STEM practices into a lecture format class, and students made measurable improvements (Honig, et al., 2024)

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Students taught by PDP participants persist in STEM

Evidence:

Slides showing how transfer students in a program taught by PDP participants, stay in STEM at higher rates than those not in the program

Paper about a longitudinal study showing that college students persisted in STEM at higher rates in courses where PDP participants integrated PDP strategies (Starr, et al., 2020)

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PDP alumni use many different kinds of skills they learned in the PDP to a broad range of STEM careers

Evidence:

Papers written by PDP alumni provide compelling evidence on how they used the PDP for:

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PDP alumni extend their impact well beyond the program, applying and amplifying its practices and values.

Evidence: See our Amplifying Impact page

Recommendations from 20 Years of Professional Development of Early-Career Scientists and Engineers

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ISEE

The Institute for Scientist & Engineer Educators (ISEE) is part of University of California Observatories
https://uc-isee.org

​Contact Us

Lisa Hunter,
ISEE Director

lhunter@ucsc.edu