CSUN is partnering with the Association of College and University Educators on a study, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to examine the relationship between evidence-based teaching practices, faculty mindset and student outcomes. Photo by Lee Choo.

CSUN’s faculty will join more than 1,500 educators from across the country in taking part in the ACUE study, which is funded by a $1.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

“We are delighted to be part of such an important research opportunity,” said CSUN President Erika D. Beck. “As a campus that is committed to excellence in teaching and committed to evidence-based practice, the ACUE study could not be a better fit. Our commitment to inclusive excellence is longstanding, so the opportunity to formally assess our instructional practice is particularly timely.”

CSUN is one of 10 higher education institutions taking part in the study. Each institution is committed to providing a quality education for all its students, and to reducing barriers in gateway courses that perpetuate inequitable outcomes from Black, Latinx, indigenous and Pell Grant-eligible students.

“To date, our 18 studies have established an incontrovertible link between the evidence-based teaching of ACUE-credentialed faculty and improved grades, higher completion rates, and closed equity gaps by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.,” said Meghan Snow, ACUE chief data officer. “With this new study, we can investigate these relationships in gateway courses — which are so consequential in a student’s academic career.”

In addition to CSUN, those institutions participating in the study include Borough of Manhattan Community College, City University of New York, Georgia Southern University, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, University of Houston, Ivy Tech Community College, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and the Ohio Association of Community Colleges, including Cincinnati State, Cuyahoga Community College, and Lorain County Community College.

“Last summer, when the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation asked to learn more about ACUE’s impact, we took them on a deep dive,” said Scott Durand, ACUE’s chief executive officer. “It was our honor to share compelling findings that ACUE-credentialed faculty close equity gaps and measurably improve student outcomes. This major national study we are thrilled to announce today was granted on that basis, to further explore the transformative impact faculty can have on student success when equipped with evidence-based teaching practices and digital tools.”

The study begins in early 2022, with preliminary findings expected in early 2023. As part of the project, up to 90 CSUN faculty will have the opportunity to earn ACUE’s nationally recognized credential in effective teaching practices.

The Association of College and University Educators’ (ACUE) mission is to ensure student success and equity through quality instruction. In partnership with colleges, universities, higher education systems and associations, ACUE prepares and credentials faculty in the evidence-based teaching practices that improve student achievement and close equity gaps. Numerous and independently validated studies confirm that students are more engaged, learn more, and complete courses in greater numbers — more equitably with their peers — when taught by ACUE-credentialed faculty. ACUE’s online, cohort-based credentialing programs are delivered through institutional partnerships and open enrollment courses endorsed by the American Council on Education.

Association of College and University Educators (ACUE), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, evidence-based teaching practices, Gateway Courses, President Erika D. Beck