Evidence-based teaching is widely recognized as critical for student learning in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM), yet whether and how faculty develop these instructional practices through their social ties remains less well understood. To illuminate these dynamics, this study applies a social capital lens to investigate the role of faculty teaching-focused social networks. Using mixed-methods social network analysis of survey data from 868 faculty and 83 in-depth interviews, we examine the connection between instructors’ personal networks and their use of evidence-based teaching approaches for fostering communication, teamwork, and self-directed learning skills. Quantitative findings suggest that the size, range, and strength of faculty teaching-focused personal networks correlate with their use of evidence-based instructional practices. Complementing these associations, our qualitative analysis details the specific relational mechanisms, objects, and instrumental and expressive returns that faculty perceive as influential. We conclude by discussing implications for institutional policies and faculty development approaches, with findings suggesting that cross-sector professional connections and strategic network cultivation are critical for advancing evidence-based teaching practices in STEMM fields.
This collaborative, dialogical study, coauthored with three incarcerated students, examines how participation in a college-in-prison program shapes identity development. Drawing on narrative identity theory, it analyzes how education supports agency, communion, and self-understanding, revealing the transformative potential of prison classrooms for policy, pedagogy, and student-serving practices. Data were generated through semi-structured dialogical sessions, reflective writing, and iterative analytic memos, emphasizing reflexivity and the co-construction of knowledge.Findings highlight three key processes (1) disruption of contaminated narratives through opportunities for reflection, achievement, and "nuclear episodes" (2); cultivation of agency and communion within classroom interactions that counter the dehumanizing structures of incarceration; and (3) negotiation with broader cultural and institutional master narratives, revealing the liberatory potential and persistent constraints of college-in-prison. These findings position programs not merely as instructional interventions but as narrative sites where students reconstruct identity and meaning. The study underscores the importance of mutuality, intellectual rigor, and recognition, offering guidance for higher education institutions, correctional agencies, and policies seeking to foster transformative learning in carceral settings.
