RUME 28
2026
Alexandria, Virginia
Choice and Circumstance: Sources of Faculty Momentum toward Active Teaching Practices
Page: 387
To study what shapes instructors’ use of student-centered active teaching methods, we examined multiple influences across the faculty career span, using survey data from over 600 mathematics faculty. We present a path model that incorporates factors from graduate teaching experience and job choice to professional development, departmental norms, and involvement in student- oriented scholarly and professional activities. We adapt Adelman’s concept of momentum to interpret results and highlight the role of early decision-making and professional environments that reinforce teaching-focused choices in shaping faculty teaching practices.