• Roger A Edwards, Jennifer Kirwin, Michael Gonyeau, S James Matthews, Jason Lancaster, and Margarita DiVall.
• Department of Pharmacy Practice, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts ; Department of Health Sciences, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts.
• Am J Pharm Educ. 2014 Jun 17; 78 (5): 103.

ObjectiveTo describe a teaching challenge intended to increase faculty use of evidence-based and student-centered instructional strategies in the demanding school of pharmacy context with technology-savvy students.DesignA teaching challenge was created that required faculty members to incorporate a "new-to-you" innovative teaching method in a class, course, or experiential activity. The method was linked to at least 1 of 7 evidence-based principles for effective teaching. Faculty members were exposed to colleagues' teaching strategies via brief voluntary presentations at department meetings.AssessmentA post-challenge survey provided assessment data about the challenge. Responses to a baseline survey provided additional information about what faculty members were already doing (52% response rate). Eighty-one percent of faculty respondents completed the challenge. A wide array of new strategies (13 categories such as flipped classrooms and social media) was implemented and 75% included the use of technology. Nearly all respondents (96%) thought that participation in the challenge was worth the effort and planned to participate again the following year. All faculty members intended to continue using their new strategy and 56% planned additional modifications with future implementations. The challenge demonstrated how multiple goals of curricular improvement, faculty development, and student-centered instruction could be achieved together.ConclusionThe teaching challenge motivated most of the faculty members to try something new to them. Links between evidence-based principles and day-to-day activities were strengthened. The new-to-you design placed the challenge within reach of faculty members regardless of their background, subject, or experience.

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