HHMI Professors on changing the culture of science education

13 HHMI Professors, including Brandeis’s Irving Epstein, wrote a recent editorial in the journal Science calling for a reexamination of priorities between research and teaching at research universities. The seven initiatives they call for:

1. Educate faculty about research on learning.
2. Create awards and named professorships that provide research support for outstanding teachers.
3. Require excellence in teaching for promotion.
4. Create teaching discussion groups.
5. Create cross-disciplinary programs in college-level learning.
6. Provide ongoing support for effective science teaching.
7. Engage chairs, deans, and presidents.

Strong stuff — will we respond to this challenge?