PKAL Volume IV: What Works, What Matters, What Lasts

Planning

The Keck/PKAL Consultation Program

Lessons learned on planning for change from the PKAL-Keck Consultation Program.
Creating a New Science Program: Ensuring Adoption and Success
The Keck/PKAL Consultation Program
This small, faith-based college in the midwest is interested in raising awareness of and support for the creation of a new science program. Specifically the team was charged with evaluating and developing plans for the implementation of the program as well as curriculum and faculty development.
Dealing with Differences
The Keck/PKAL Consultation Program
This southern college was at a point of transition. Enrollments in the science division were growing rapidly, and the strengths in science were seen as a driver for admissions. Faculty understood the changing career prospects for their graduates and the need to prepare students for those careers. They were also becoming aware that science literacy– serving non-science majors– needed to be incorporated more fully into the program. Yet conversations about the future of the science program, in the context of considering the future of the campus, were not happening because of a lacuna in leadership.
Developing Curricular Requirements for the Future
The Keck/PKAL Consultation Program
This small, eastern, liberal arts college wanted the team to evaluate the curricular requirements of their natural science programs. Many recommendations were given to advise the college on how to improve their science course offerings.
How to Embrace Technology
The Keck/PKAL Consultation Program
At this private, four-year institution in the midwest, it was determined that investing in technology was needed for success. Investment in technology is required to sustain science departments in today's ever-changing world. This institution needed to embrace the technological revolution in order to remain relevant and exciting to students. Implementation of the following recommendations will enable them to join the ranks of institutions with outstanding natural science departments.