Broaden Participation through Diversity and Inclusion
Attracting and supporting a diverse population of geoscientists is becoming increasingly important as society tackles the complex, global issues that will affect us all in the coming decades. Geoscience needs to bring in students from populations traditionally underrepresented in the discipline and support their participation and success in order to reach into communities that will be affected by a changing world.
Broadening participation in geoscience by students from these groups includes drawing them into the discipline in the first place, supporting them through critical transition points, helping them persist in the discipline through graduation, and preparing them to be successful in their career after graduation. Much research has been done into what practices have shown success and there is a list of selected references at the bottom of the page.
Strategies for Broadening Participation
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Develop Students' Science Identity
Students who are able to envision themselves as scientists are much more likely to graduate from a STEM field and enter a career in that field than those unable to do so. Actively helping students build such an identity for themselves is particularly important for those from groups from nonstereotypical backgrounds as well as those with no close connection to a scientist role model.
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Mitigate the Impacts of Stereotype Threat and Solo Status
Stereotype threat affects members of any group about whom there exists some negative stereotype, and can lower students' performance. Solo status is the experience of being the only member of one's particular community present in a group, which can also compromise learning. These are common concerns for minority or non-traditional students. This web page offers four strategies for alleviating these potential setbacks.
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Support First-Generation Students at Two-Year Colleges
Many students from underrepresented groups are among the first in their families to attend college. Faculty who understand how to help first-generation college students be successful will be able to support all of their students better.
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Design and Adapt Instruction to Make Courses Accessible
Diversity and inclusion should not be limited to racial or cultural considerations. Many students with physical or mental disabilities can be successful in geoscience courses (and careers!) with some adaptations and considerations.
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Develop Cultural Competency
Improving our cultural competency can help faculty learn their own values and cultural identity can manifest itself in teaching and interactions with students. This approach can make it easier to engage with students from diverse backgrounds.
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Address Societally Relevant Issues
Societal issues are of high interest to students, including those who are traditionally underrepresented in the geosciences. Thus by teaching geoscience in the context of societal issues we draw more students into geoscience courses. Societal issues are also interdisciplinary problems opening avenues for integrating geoscience learning into interdisciplinary courses and courses in other disciplines. The InTeGrate and GETSI projects have extensive teaching resources built around societally relevant issues.
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Support the Whole Student
Initiatives with holistic approaches -- those that go beyond what happens in the classroom -- have shown the most success at supporting students of all kinds from entry to graduation and/or transfer. These holistic programs support the whole student, not just their access to and acquisition of disciplinary knowledge.
Other Resources
- SAGE Musings: Several installments of the SAGE Musings Blog have tackled aspects of broadening participation in geoscience by underrepresented groups.
- Workshop: Supporting Student Success in Geoscience at Two-Year Colleges
College of William & Mary, July 17 - 20, 2013
This workshop brought together faculty, administrators, and education researchers from across the country, to share successful programs and activities for supporting the success of all students in geoscience at 2YCs, both in and outside the classroom. - Faculty Perspectives on Supporting Student Success
These essays were submitted by the participants of the 2013 workshop Supporting Student Success in Geoscience at Two-year Colleges, describing what they are currently doing to support geoscience student success in two-year colleges. - Increase the Diversity of your Graduates
The InTeGrate project has developed an extensive resource for faculty and programs interested in attracting more diverse students to their departments, supporting them through successful completion of a degree, and preparing them for the workforce.
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