PULSE Ambassadors Campus Workshops: Developing Core Capacities and Strategies for Departmental Transformation
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Despite calls for reform in undergraduate STEM education, persistent systemic barriers limit implementation of evidence-based practices. One way that the Partnership for Undergraduate Life Sciences Education (PULSE) addresses these challenges is through its Ambassadors Campus Workshop (ACW), a theory-driven intervention that supports development of departmental capacity for sustainable transformation. This study examined outcomes of ACW participation by analyzing survey data from 24 departments that hosted workshops between 2014 and 2023. Using thematic analysis with a Flaws of Others approach, we investigated how departments developed core capacities, implemented transformation strategies, and achieved transformation outcomes. Departments successfully developed both awareness-based capacities (e.g., understanding Vision and Change principles, valuing diversity and inclusion) and action-oriented capacities (e.g., facilitative leadership skills, collaborative decision-making). Harmonized analysis revealed two robust pathways connecting capacities to outcomes: facilitative leadership development led to structured decision-making processes and shared governance models, while Vision and Change understanding translated into curriculum redesign strategies and curriculum-alignment outcomes. Findings support key aspects of the PULSE Theory of Change, demonstrating that successful departmental transformation requires building multiple, mutually reinforcing capacities.
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7166336830