2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Building Capacity for Instructional Change: A Critical Review and Conceptual Framework for Discipline-Based Education Research (DBER) Postdoctoral Professional Development

Presented at Graduate Education

In this theory-focused full paper, we present a critical review of research to connect existing knowledge about STEM postdoctoral associate professional development (PD) and PD programs for building the capacity of emerging Discipline-Based Education Research (DBER) scholars to enact instructional change. The aim of this work is to consider the extent to which and how we support postdocs engaged in instructional change – a workforce whose capacity for instructional change toward national priorities cannot be assumed from the existence of or increase in postdoctoral roles alone. Our argument depends on connecting literature bases that are often read separately. We review (1) STEM postdoc PD research, which highlights both the promise of postdocs as innovation drivers and the relational tensions that can constrain their work; (2) DBER PD research, which provides models for developing emerging scholars’ capacity to translate evidence into instructional change; and (3) the limited but illustrative literature on DBER-specific postdoc change, which demonstrates what postdocs can contribute but not yet how their change capacity emerges. Based on our synthesis, we lack understanding of the process by which postdocs work in relationships to contribute to change resulting from DBER. We argue designing programs assuming challenges will or should not happen as postdocs develop change agency, or that relationships will not be important to addressing tensions, means both postdocs and programs will fall short of meeting research innovation goals. Implicit assumptions must be addressed.

Based on our critical literature review, we present propositions for how postdocs can develop capacity for instructional change resulting from engaging in DBER. This work offers an initial case for broader STEM postdoc PD programs building capacity for change resulting from research. We visualize our propositions into a conceptual model that can guide future development of postdoc-specific PD models and studies of how postdocs (and in turn, their fields) develop capacity for change.

Authors

Dr. Margaret Webb http://orcid.org/https://0000-0002-3925-2120 Cornell University [biography]

Dr. Margaret (Maggie) Webb is postdoctoral associate at Cornell University. She holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (Rice University, a M.S. in Civil Engineering, and a PhD in Engineering Education (Virginia Tech). Her research interests include STEM graduate and postdoctoral education, andragogy, understanding how academic systems influence researcher professional development, motivation, and agency.
Dr. Alexandra Coso Strong http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4988-361X Cornell University [biography]

As an associate professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the Systems Engineering Program at Cornell University, Dr. Alexandra Coso Strong works and teaches at the intersection of engineering education, faculty development, and complex systems design. She joined Cornell University after co-founding the School of Universal Computing, Construction and Engineering Education at Florida International University (FIU). As an assistant professor at FIU, she co-developed two degree programs, a Ph.D. in Engineering and Computing Education and a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Engineering. Prior to working at FIU, Alexandra served as an Assistant Professor of Systems Design and Engineering at Olin College. Alexandra completed her graduate degrees in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech (PhD) and Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia (UVa).
Alexandra Werth http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0310-2654 Cornell University [biography]

Alexandra Werth is an assistant professor at the Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, specializing in Engineering Education Research (EER). She focuses on developing evidence-based teaching methodologies to foster authentic learning environments. Dr. Werth holds a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Princeton University, where she developed a non-invasive mid-infrared glucose sensor. She later conducted postdoctoral research in physics education at the University of Colorado Boulder, where she helped develop the first large-enrollment introductory physics course-based research experience (CURE).

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

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