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Executive Summary
Final Evaluation Report
August 2002
 SyRIS Final Evaluation Report
August, 2002
Adobe Arcobat file: SyRISFinalEvalAug2002.pdf [23k]
The Systemic Reform in Science (SyRIS) project was a two-year program designed to contribute to the reform of teaching and learning in science throughout the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD). The two-year project, which concluded at the end of the 2001-2002 academic year, was funded in part by the National Science Foundation. Its goal was to improve science instruction in the district through changes in curriculum and pedagogy that are aligned with national systemic reform efforts in science.
The major thrust of the project was to develop interdisciplinary instructional modules in science that included active and cooperative student learning. Development of the modules was accomplished by collaborative learning teams of science faculty at each college. These faculty members participated in faculty development activities in the form of training on science reform initiative topics and direct involvement in the development of one or more of the science modules that incorporated the reform initiative concepts.
A total of 17 modules were developed, field-tested, and revised into final form during the two-year period of the project. Approximately 850 students participated in the field tests of the modules. Student scores on the module posttests averaged over 80%. Student attitude ratings of the modules were quite favorable, with a mean rating of approximately 4.0 on a five-point scale.
The field-test instructors had very favorable attitudes toward the modules. Their overall ratings averaged above 4.4 on the five-point scale. The instructors strongly agreed that they liked the module that they taught, they would use it again, and they would recommend it to other instructors.
Fifty-six faculty members participated in the SyRIS project as peer mentors or collaborative learning team members during the two-year project. Project records indicate that these faculty members spent an average of more than 100 hours each on SyRIS activities. These activities had the potential to contribute significantly to faculty development on science reform topics.
The conclusion of the SyRIS project raises questions about future MCCCD activities in this area. These include: what should be done to promote and distribute the SyRIS modules in the district, to market and distribute them nationally, and to capitalize on the success of the SyRIS project in an effort to secure additional funding? Careful consideration and action based on these questions will help to determine the extent to which the SyRIS project has a continuing positive impact on science instruction in the district and beyond.
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