Rate My Professor Andrew McDevitt

Andrew McDevitt serves as Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago. He holds a PhD in Integrative Biology from the University of Colorado Denver, completed in 2022, and a Master of Science from Illinois State University. His doctoral dissertation, titled "Advancing Understanding of Student-Centered Instruction in Undergraduate STEM by Promoting the Connection of Theory with Analytical Techniques," investigated the mechanisms underlying active learning's effectiveness. McDevitt conducted observations in 51 undergraduate STEM courses using a modified version of the Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM (COPUS). These observations demonstrated that courses supported by Learning Assistants featured more student-centered instruction compared to traditional didactic or interactive lecture formats. In such settings, Learning Assistants engaged directly with students during group discussions and one-on-one interactions. McDevitt argued for the application of sociocultural learning theories, such as mediated action, to elucidate how learning is mediated and supported across classroom, course, department, and program levels. He also provided recommendations for improving classroom observation methodologies to enhance precision in estimating course-level parameters.

Prior to joining UIC, McDevitt's graduate work at the University of Colorado Denver included contributions to peer-reviewed publications focused on STEM education and ecological research methods. Key works include "Lessons and recommendations from three decades as an NSF REU site principal investigator: A call for systems-based assessment" (2020, Ecology and Evolution), in which he collected data, analyzed data, and contributed to writing the manuscript; and "A modern method of multiple working hypotheses to improve inference in ecology" (2020, Ecology and Evolution). His research appeared in "Affective Learning Outcomes in the Field: A Review of the Evidence" (2021). At UIC, McDevitt has authored the BIOS 110 Student Lab Manual: Enzymes, available through UIC Indigo, supporting introductory biology laboratory instruction.