EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Oct. 6, 2023) โ North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University participated in a newly released report Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) study demonstrating that when college and university professors participate in high-quality, comprehensive courses on effective teaching practices, they report substantial increases in their confidence in using these proven practices.
The study, which included nine other colleges and universities, also showed that these professors see significant, positive changes in their thinking about their ability to impact student learning and their students' ability to learn.
Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the study further revealed that students taught by faculty who participated in ACUE courses saw significant increases in their own growth mindset, as well as their confidence when participating in class, attending office hours, and Manage your coursework and deadlines. The data analyzed comes from almost 3,000 student surveys.
NC A&T has contracted with ACUE Effective Teaching Practices since 2021. To date, nearly 200 teachers have completed one or more of the ACUE programs. These teachers have earned the ACUE National Credential in Effective Teaching Practices and/or the Fostering a Culture of Belonging Microcredential program.
โMany teachers say that the ACUE program is the best professional development they have experienced in their careers. Approximately 96% of our teachers indicate that they would recommend this program to their peers. Its rigor and breadth show how much our faculty care about the success of their teaching and their students' learning,โ said Audrey M. Dentith, Ph.D., director of the A&T Center for Teaching Excellence and campus lead for the ACUE program.
The study, โImpacts of Teacher Development on Teacher Mindset and Self-Efficacy,โ focused on โentryโ courses, with data collected from more than 570 teachers who participated in ACUEโs Effective Teaching Practice Framework comprehensive courses. , as well as more than 1000 teachers. who have not yet participated in the ACUE framework courses: access to teaching courses. Teachers were surveyed four times over two years, including using mindset items originally developed by noted researcher Carol Dweck. Students enrolled in entry courses taught by faculty who participated in ACUE's Effective Teaching Practice Framework comprehensive courses were also surveyed.
โMindset matters. What we believe about our students' ability to learn affects what they will or will not learn,โ said Jonathan Gyurko, Ph.D., president and co-founder of ACUE. โAlthough beliefs are famously difficult to change, current strong findings show that minds change when teachers become better teachers. โIt is further proof that the best way to educate many more students to have a purpose in life is to ensure effective instruction in every class.โ
ACUE's mission is to ensure student success through quality instruction by offering the highest quality courses, pathways and certifications with rapidly implemented practices that have a major impact on student success. Instructors certified in the ACUE Effective Teaching Practice Framework have been shown to increase student perseverance and completion, improve faculty confidence and commitment, and help institutions achieve their strategic goals.
Endorsed by the American Council on Education, ACUE's cohort-based online courses are taught through institutional partnerships and open enrollment courses and are the only provider of nationally recognized teaching certifications in higher education.
