Post 1 - Group 1: Anne Arundel, Leeward, Santiago, San Diego

Briefly describe one thing you do OR want to do in your work in diversity, inclusion, and equity


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Post 1 - Group 1: Anne Arundel, Leeward, Santiago, San Diego  

I believe, unfortunately, there will always be bias in the sciences (and in the world in general). Even as an openly gay (and short) white male, I am asked aggressive and disrespectful questions, in and out of the classroom. A perfect example is how Pete Buttigieg was treated during the democratic primaries - many voters openly admitted to not voting for him based on his sexual orientation. Very sad. We also see that in how we treat underrepresented communities in the geosciences as well...

The best way to handle any sort of adversity, in my opinion, is to instill confidence. Therefore, I try to instill and encourage confidence in my students, especially if they are hesitant to dive into a career in the geosciences. I sometimes get on my soap box to let them know how important it is for ALL students, no matter who they are, to stand up for environmental justice and climate change. I am 35, and it pains me to see how many of my students were never told how important it is to stand up for what you believe in; if more students outside of the "normal" boundaries get involved in science, behaviors and attitudes will change rapidly.

At Anne Arundel Community College, we have a whole host of resources available to students to get involved in the geosciences, including an Earth Science Club, to explore the benefits of a science career. Moreover, it is refreshing to see students, who may not have otherwise thought about a career in the geosciences, actively participate in the Earth Science Club.

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Absolutely!

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First, AACC is very lucky to have Robby as a professor. It is so sad that he has to deal with the discrimination and biases of that nature, but I do know that our college is definitely comprised of progressive students and faculty, and there are efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the classroom.

Second, in the classroom, with help from another esteemed colleague and friend, Seth Miller (by the way, Katherine and Dan fall under those descriptions, too), I have included a diversity statement in all of my syllabae for all classes I teach, and show slides/videos/articles about geoscientists/physical scientists in underrepresented minorities. I really want to break whatever students view as the stereotypical scientist.

And, Katherine, Seth and I are part of a three-year campus project called Model Course for General Oceanography. In this first year, we have had several professional development workshops on concepts such as stereotype threat, implicit bias and more. The goals are for a consistent, rigorous curriculum among all sections as well as increasing the presence of diversity, equity and inclusion in the classroom.

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Thanks, Anthony! I am so fortunate to work at AACC, and could not have asked for better people to surround myself with in the Physical Science Department. As Anthony stated, the college promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion in the classroom and I am glad to see how important it is for the college to stress that.

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To encourage diversity and participation among underrepresented groups, I would like to incorporate more societal issues like local sustainability issues. Because these are inherently interdisciplinary issues, I think connecting course content to issues that students encounter daily will breathe life into the material, particularly among minority students. To do this, I plan to use real examples and data available through state resources so students can see how the course content has real-life implications, while also encouraging collaboration among students of different disciplines. Also, students often come to class with different sets of strengths. By engaging the class in this way, students feel empowered to participate because they see the value of their input.

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Originally Posted by Robert Evans



The best way to handle any sort of adversity, in my opinion, is to instill confidence. Therefore, I try to instill and encourage confidence in my students, especially if they are hesitant to dive into a career in the geosciences. I sometimes get on my soap box to let them know how important it is for ALL students, no matter who they are, to stand up for environmental justice and climate change. I am 35, and it pains me to see how many of my students were never told how important it is to stand up for what you believe in; if more students outside of the "normal" boundaries get involved in science, behaviors and attitudes will change rapidly.


M. Will-Cole (CNM) comment:
Robert, thank you for your comment that "The best way to handle any sort of adversity,is to instill confidence". This is so very important! Also I hope you continue to inform students that it is critical to stand up for environmental justice and climate change. I too have noticed that many of my students are timid when it comes to voicing their views with respect to the gray (more controversial)areas. thank you for your comments!

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Originally Posted by Anthony Santorelli


…... a three-year campus project called Model Course for General Oceanography. In this first year, we have had several professional development workshops on concepts such as stereotype threat, implicit bias and more. The goals are for a consistent, rigorous curriculum among all sections as well as increasing the presence of diversity, equity and inclusion in the classroom.



M. Will-Cole (CNM) comment:
Anthony, I love your professional development workshop ideas! I plan to borrow your ideas for including sections on stereotype threat, implicit bias for a topical workshop I am planning next fall. My workshop is not professional development focused, it is actually pure science, but I will include these topics because they are important components for the development of individuals to become good and ethical scientists. thank you for your post!!!

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I would really like to try the "quick around" method in my courses. Especially now with going online I'm worried that I will get even less interaction with the students now that they may be able to hide behind the screen. I'm hoping to learn how to use zoom "super user" (yes, I think I just made that up)and establishing the "break out groups" like we do in these meetings so that students can talk amongst each other to share ideas so that when I call on them to share they will feel more prepared and/or validated in their answers before having to answer cold on the spot.

I'm still left wondering... what if everyone passes on their turn?

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I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I am doing several "inclusive" things in my classroom already and I plan to integrate more of these opportunities for my students. We are lucky in Hawai'i that many of the cultural and environmental issues are on the forefront of the news (at least before Coronavirus) and the discussions of Mauna Kea and the TMT have generated lively discussion of societal issues and the research and educational capacities of the 13 telescopes currently on the mountain. I facilitate an environment of respect in my classrooms so that we can have these open discussions without it turning into a yelling match. Because Biology is an inherently interesting topic, particularly when discussing the human body, I try to bring in topics that discuss societal issues like the concept of "food deserts" in urban areas and the link to increased type II diabetes mellitus. Many students don't make these connections and it's interesting to see the material "come to life" when they consider their own neighborhoods and the issues that people face on a daily basis.

Also, we have been fortunate to have amazing local partners that allow us to do service learning in the communities. We grow native plants in the Horticulture lab and the Biology, Botany, and Horticulture students plant them in different areas on the west side of the island near our school. They enjoy going out into the community, even if it is at 8am on a Saturday. There are cultural sites, like Kalaeloa Heritage Park, that give our students tours of the active archaeological site before they do the planting. This gives them a deeper understanding and respect for our service learning projects because it ties to their native Hawaiian heritage and benefits the communities in which they live. I plan on continuing and, if possible, expanding our service learning to get more students and community groups involved.

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Hello & Good Day!

In the area of broadening participation, diversity, & inclusion, we are attempting to support the “whole student” by a few approaches.

“…since every student is different, creating this sense of belonging is not a matter of one-size-fits-all. There will need to be numerous overlapping strategies which create a departmental ‘ecosystem’ diverse enough for many kinds of student to find their niche - their way of belonging in the larger community..."

Some of the ideas we are planning and have implemented:

Earth Science Club:
We have recently established an Earth Science Club to help build community among interested students, as well as developing their organizational, and leadership skills. What we have found interesting is that the most active students in the club include not only those who are to major in the Earth Sciences, but many in several majors outside of Earth Science, or even STEM fields.

Field trips:
Through our Earth Science Club and our individual Oceanography, Geology, Meteorology, & Environmental classes, we have invited students (and faculty & guests) to participate in our Baltimore Harbor educational cruises every Fall & Spring semester. Through coordination with the Living Classrooms Foundation in Baltimore, we are able to conduct hands-on experiences in Earth Science, seamanship, nautical history, and being responsible citizen scientists. We have been able to have members of our Earth Science Club have cruise fees paid for.

Alumni involvement:
We are in the process of inviting recently-graduated students speak about their experiences as college students at the local 4-year universities (specifically Geology majors, and Meteorology majors). This is being coordinated via our Earth Science Club, so it will be valuable to Earth Science Club student members, but all other interested students will also be invited.

Thanks!
-Dan-

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A few years ago I was on my way to the human resources office at my community college in Ohio. I had with me my marriage certificate from the State of New York, where I recently married my husband. When I asked the question “Can I extend my health benefits to my spouse?” the answer was “Our insurance provider does not recognize domestic partners”.

That was the day when I decided that we had to move somewhere else, and the day when I learned that I was paid less than my colleagues because of my sexual orientation: buying health insurance is expensive.

I have been trying to make my classroom environment more inclusive with small modifications; my attendance sheet, for instance, has a preferred name for my students on it. I feel the need to do more, after reading some of the resources an old idea came back to me: maybe openly introducing myself as a gay immigrant might actually help my students, maybe those students that feel out of place in a STEM field might feel like they can openly speak to me and ask for guidance; it is something that I never dreamed of doing in Ohio, but now I am fortunate enough to live in a place that seems to embrace diversity, instead of fearing it. There are still some risks in doing such a thing, but maybe the benefits outweigh the risks.

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Originally Posted by Angela Daneshmand


I would really like to try the "quick around" method in my courses. Especially now with going online I'm worried that I will get even less interaction with the students now that they may be able to hide behind the screen. I'm hoping to learn how to use zoom "super user" (yes, I think I just made that up)and establishing the "break out groups" like we do in these meetings so that students can talk amongst each other to share ideas so that when I call on them to share they will feel more prepared and/or validated in their answers before having to answer cold on the spot.

I'm still left wondering... what if everyone passes on their turn?



I also like the quick around- a technique I hadn't heard of before and am interested in trying. If everyone passes, maybe go back to the beginning of the row? Give everyone a chance to try again? Or maybe break the question down a little (if possible)?

Over the past few semesters, I've been moving towards making implicit rules visible to all students. I do worry about spending too much time on the syllabus the first day of class- I remember reading several discussions about the value of going over syllabi versus starting in on the subject. I tend to hit a few important parts of the syllabus and then direct the students to an online syllabus quiz that they can take as many times as they need. Is there some sweet spot for how much time to spend on the syllabus (and associated expectations and explaining implicit rules), how much time to spend on starting to learn names, and how much time to spend on introducing the class and modeling typical classroom activities?

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I do several things to explicitly foster inclusivity in my classroom, like my diversity and inclusivity statement in the syllabus, scientist profiles, and being open about who I am, but I also remind myself that I might not be able to see all of the diversity in my classroom. I was at a professional development workshop on inclusivity in the sciences, and one of the leaders said something that really struck me. There are certain aspects of diversity that are usually obvious, but there are also many, many aspects of diversity that aren't. To support inclusivity in the classroom, he said, you should always assume that you have at least one student in each of the following categories: LGBTQ, disabled, a first generation student, financially insecure, dealing with a medical issue, caring for someone else at home, coping with a learning disability, a religious minority, an undocumented immigrant, the list goes on and on. I'd like to think that I had already been doing that in my classrooms, but having it set out in front of me like that was pretty eye-opening. It struck a particular chord with me because a friend of the family in high school has Tourette's. She has had multiple instances of teachers making snarky comments about Tourette's to students who don't raise their hands and just blurt out answers, which obviously makes her feel so uncomfortable and excluded. Just assuming that the diversity in my classroom is so much more extensive than just the diversity I can see has been really helpful for me, and hopefully my students as well.

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This semester, I've modified certain teaching methods to promote greater participation among students who feel marginalized. For example, I've eliminated cold calling in favor of the "long pause" to give more students an opportunity to respond when they know the answer to a question. Last semester, I relied heavily on cold calling on the premise that students would be more engaged in lecture if they knew I might call on them at some point. Instead, what I found is that students resented being called on when they weren't able to answer a question, and felt in some cases that I was endeavoring to make them look stupid. This couldn't be further from the truth; however, it was helpful feedback to be told that some students perceived my questioning from this perspective. This semester, I'm generally avoiding cold calling. Instead, when I ask a question, I pause...and pause...and pause until someone breaks the silence. This has worked better. My hope is that this sends a message that I care about what students have to say. I also think it may give students a bit more time to muster up some courage to contribute. Sometimes, I'll even be explicit that I'd like to hear from someone who hasn't spoken up yet. Surprisingly (to me), some students respond well to such explicit invitations. Overall, the mood of the classroom seems lighter this semester, and the awkward pauses are becoming shorter and shorter :-) Also, after lecture, I'll sometimes pull someone aside who answered a question to give them some positive feedback for speaking up, or even just for asking a really good question. Overall, the classroom vibe seems better this semester, and my hope is that more students feel validated.

My sense is that some of my students are intimidated just to be in class, and wonder whether they belong (imposter syndrome). Others sometimes preface a question by saying something like, "I know this is probably a stupid question..." This tells me that creating a positive classroom vibe can play an important role in helping some students to feel validated and accepted--in particular, those from historically marginalized groups.

Something else I do to foster inclusivity is to be explicit about how course material might be presented on exams. Often, after covering a concept, I'll say something like, "Okay, how might I test you on this?" Then, I'll give several examples of possible test questions, or ask students to make up test questions on the spot. Reading some of the background material for this activity reminded me that very often, marginalized students don't necessarily know how to link classroom learning with exam preparation--perhaps because they don't yet "get" how to do college. By being explicit about how to translate learning (in lecture) into recall and synthesis (on an exam), my hope is that students will begin to develop this skill for themselves.

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This post was edited by Bridget James on Mar, 2020
Originally Posted by Angela Daneshmand


I would really like to try the "quick around" method in my courses. Especially now with going online I'm worried that I will get even less interaction with the students now that they may be able to hide behind the screen. I'm hoping to learn how to use zoom "super user" (yes, I think I just made that up)and establishing the "break out groups" like we do in these meetings so that students can talk amongst each other to share ideas so that when I call on them to share they will feel more prepared and/or validated in their answers before having to answer cold on the spot.

I'm still left wondering... what if everyone passes on their turn?



When I switched some of my courses from fully in-person to hybrid years ago, I noticed that some students who were normally quiet in the classroom were quite vocal on the discussion boards online, while students who were normally vocal in the classroom were quiet online. Some would behave the same in both environments. I don't think everyone will be quiet. I think your idea of using the breakout rooms in Zoom may help students "break the ice" among themselves first before reporting out to you. I think that is a wonderful idea!

Bridget
Peer Leader/Cohort 1 - Northern California

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Originally Posted by Dan Ferandez


Some of the ideas we are planning and have implemented:

Earth Science Club:
We have recently established an Earth Science Club to help build community among interested students, as well as developing their organizational, and leadership skills. What we have found interesting is that the most active students in the club include not only those who are to major in the Earth Sciences, but many in several majors outside of Earth Science, or even STEM fields.

Field trips:
Through our Earth Science Club and our individual Oceanography, Geology, Meteorology, & Environmental classes, we have invited students (and faculty & guests) to participate in our Baltimore Harbor educational cruises every Fall & Spring semester. Through coordination with the Living Classrooms Foundation in Baltimore, we are able to conduct hands-on experiences in Earth Science, seamanship, nautical history, and being responsible citizen scientists. We have been able to have members of our Earth Science Club have cruise fees paid for.

Alumni involvement:
We are in the process of inviting recently-graduated students speak about their experiences as college students at the local 4-year universities (specifically Geology majors, and Meteorology majors). This is being coordinated via our Earth Science Club, so it will be valuable to Earth Science Club student members, but all other interested students will also be invited.

Thanks!
-Dan-



My continuing work in Northern California to broaden participation and support transfer is actually to continue to do these very things you mention here. I think these are all lovely ideas. I do want to suggest something that only recently came to my attention. San Jose State University has a freshman level course called "Geology of the Outdoors" that they use to attract majors with. They recently removed the word "field" from the title of this course because they realized it was off putting to the Latino community (we have a large latino population in California). The last thing parents who are sending their children to college want to do is support a major that sounds like a dead-end job to them. They have found that they have better participation from Latino students with this course now than with the prior title. I know you didn't really mention what the title of your field course(s) are in any detail, but I wanted to throw this out there for you (or anyone else reading this) as a suggestion to help with broadening participation.

Bridget
Peer Leader/Cohort 1 - Northern California

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Originally Posted by Luca Preziati


I feel the need to do more, after reading some of the resources an old idea came back to me: maybe openly introducing myself as a gay immigrant might actually help my students, maybe those students that feel out of place in a STEM field might feel like they can openly speak to me and ask for guidance; it is something that I never dreamed of doing in Ohio, but now I am fortunate enough to live in a place that seems to embrace diversity, instead of fearing it. There are still some risks in doing such a thing, but maybe the benefits outweigh the risks.



Very nice ideas! I often share my story and I think it makes a big difference in reaching out to those students with similar attributes. For me, I was a first generation college graduate, a transfer student from a 2YC to a 4YC and a female in a STEM field (Geology). You could share your story in little ways throughout the term, only partially share your story where it may be relevant to something you are talking about in class, or just share your entire story at the beginning as an introduction. I've done all of that over the years and I think many students benefit (in many ways!) no matter how it is presented during the term. There are certainly going to be many students that will relate to your story, so I personally think the benefit will outweigh the risk.

Bridget
Peer Leader/Cohort 1 - Northern California

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Originally Posted by Robert Evans



The best way to handle any sort of adversity, in my opinion, is to instill confidence. Therefore, I try to instill and encourage confidence in my students, especially if they are hesitant to dive into a career in the geosciences. I sometimes get on my soap box to let them know how important it is for ALL students, no matter who they are, to stand up for environmental justice and climate change. I am 35, and it pains me to see how many of my students were never told how important it is to stand up for what you believe in; if more students outside of the "normal" boundaries get involved in science, behaviors and attitudes will change rapidly.



YES, YES, YES! I'm totally with you on this. I've had days in class where geoscience content was largely abandoned for soapbox talks too - with most concentrating on just what you described. Being an advocate for yourself and for what you believe in is so important, and I want students to have confidence in themselves to be willing to advocate. Diversity is important for broadening perspectives, and I think you are absolutely spot on! Keep on keeping on!

Lynsey - Cohort 1

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Originally Posted by Anthony Santorelli



Second, in the classroom, with help from another esteemed colleague and friend, Seth Miller (by the way, Katherine and Dan fall under those descriptions, too), I have included a diversity statement in all of my syllabae for all classes I teach, and show slides/videos/articles about geoscientists/physical scientists in underrepresented minorities. I really want to break whatever students view as the stereotypical scientist.



Anthony,

Scientist Spotlights for the win again!

I really like that you include a diversity statement in your syllabi. I have some diversity and inclusivity information included, but not a specific diversity statement. You've inspired me to draft one for my fall syllabi. Would love to see yours if you are willing.

Lynsey - Cohort 1

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Don,
Thanks for sharing this wealth of information about how to get students involved in active learning and participation in class discussions and Q&A's.. I was also doing lots of "cold calling" with in-class quiz shows in which I would randomly ask a student to answer a quiz question and when he or she fails to answer the question, I noticed other students were making subtle remarks about student's failure in even answering a simple, direct question. Later, this student wasn't even raising his hand, completely discouraged. Like your approach, I am also not rushing into getting an answer from somebody, but giving extra waiting time, and maybe rephrasing the question with some hints, I noticed more hands coming up, especially from the back of the classroom, which is typically much quieter than the front row..

Bulent

Originally Posted by Don Barrie


This semester, I've modified certain teaching methods to promote greater participation among students who feel marginalized. For example, I've eliminated cold calling in favor of the "long pause" to give more students an opportunity to respond when they know the answer to a question. Last semester, I relied heavily on cold calling on the premise that students would be more engaged in lecture if they knew I might call on them at some point. Instead, what I found is that students resented being called on when they weren't able to answer a question, and felt in some cases that I was endeavoring to make them look stupid. This couldn't be further from the truth; however, it was helpful feedback to be told that some students perceived my questioning from this perspective. This semester, I'm generally avoiding cold calling. Instead, when I ask a question, I pause...and pause...and pause until someone breaks the silence. This has worked better. My hope is that this sends a message that I care about what students have to say. I also think it may give students a bit more time to muster up some courage to contribute. Sometimes, I'll even be explicit that I'd like to hear from someone who hasn't spoken up yet. Surprisingly (to me), some students respond well to such explicit invitations. Overall, the mood of the classroom seems lighter this semester, and the awkward pauses are becoming shorter and shorter :-) Also, after lecture, I'll sometimes pull someone aside who answered a question to give them some positive feedback for speaking up, or even just for asking a really good question. Overall, the classroom vibe seems better this semester, and my hope is that more students feel validated.

My sense is that some of my students are intimidated just to be in class, and wonder whether they belong (imposter syndrome). Others sometimes preface a question by saying something like, "I know this is probably a stupid question..." This tells me that creating a positive classroom vibe can play an important role in helping some students to feel validated and accepted--in particular, those from historically marginalized groups.

Something else I do to foster inclusivity is to be explicit about how course material might be presented on exams. Often, after covering a concept, I'll say something like, "Okay, how might I test you on this?" Then, I'll give several examples of possible test questions, or ask students to make up test questions on the spot. Reading some of the background material for this activity reminded me that very often, marginalized students don't necessarily know how to link classroom learning with exam preparation--perhaps because they don't yet "get" how to do college. By being explicit about how to translate learning (in lecture) into recall and synthesis (on an exam), my hope is that students will begin to develop this skill for themselves.

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Originally Posted by Katherine Keough


To encourage diversity and participation among underrepresented groups, I would like to incorporate more societal issues like local sustainability issues. Because these are inherently interdisciplinary issues, I think connecting course content to issues that students encounter daily will breathe life into the material, particularly among minority students. To do this, I plan to use real examples and data available through state resources so students can see how the course content has real-life implications, while also encouraging collaboration among students of different disciplines. Also, students often come to class with different sets of strengths. By engaging the class in this way, students feel empowered to participate because they see the value of their input.



Katherine,

This is a great strategy! You may have already seen this but here is another great resource from the InTeGrate program on attracting and supporting diverse learners:
https://serc.carleton.edu/integrate/programs/implementation/diverse_learner/i...

Lynsey - Cohort 1

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Sorry for the late post.

My campus has a STEM Club and a geology club. I have done activities with these students in the past, and I have noticed that it really does build a sense of community. The students feel as if they are apart of something other than just going to class. Also, when I interact with students off campus, I learn so much more about my students, and the kinds of issues they deal with. Also, the club members are the ones who are likely to keep in touch with me after they transfer.

What I need to work on is being more consistent with coordinating activities. I tend to get busy, and I let that get in the way of time spent outside of class. Reading these articles helped emphasize how important these activities are to the students educational experience.

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Hi Everyone,
Sorry for chiming in so late. I think my campus was one of the last in CA to move to remote teaching. Preparations in full swing here. As we prepare for this new adventure, opportunities to learn more about how to practice equity in remote teaching are popping up. I found two webinars that may be of interest to you. Both are this week!
Stay safe everyone.
Tania - Cohort 2

first one (CORA):
The unanticipated transition from face-to-face to online courses in response to COVID-19 presents a substantial challenge for many community college faculty, particularly those who have worked to create a teaching and learning environment that prioritizes equity and equity-mindedness. With this in mind, please join Dr. Luke Wood and Dr. Frank Harris as they present some salient trends and issues that complicate the experiences of diverse community college learners in online courses and propose equity-minded teaching and learning strategies for faculty teaching online courses.

Date and Time: March 26th, 10:00 AM PST.

Title - Employing Equity-Minded and Culturally-Affirming Teaching and Learning Practices in Virtual Learning Communities

Registration link - https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_L8m3z5uERsmOOa9xm-zm-w

The second one (AAC&U):
Friday, March 27, 1 pm ET
As the undergraduate experience goes virtual in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, how can colleges and universities ensure that the rapid scaling of online learning to unprecedented levels doesn’t come at the expense of their commitment to quality, equity, and inclusion? This webinar will address a wide range of student success issues and opportunities now confronting faculty, staff, and administrators across the higher education landscape. Presenters will offer practical advice and effective pedagogical strategies for creating and sustaining high-quality, equitable, and inclusive learning environments online.

There will be time for Q&A during the webinar. Please send all webinar queries to webinars@aacu.org. The webinar will be recorded, and the recording will be available online.

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Something else I do to foster inclusivity is to be explicit about how course material might be presented on exams. Often, after covering a concept, I'll say something like, "Okay, how might I test you on this?" Then, I'll give several examples of possible test questions, or ask students to make up test questions on the spot. Reading some of the background material for this activity reminded me that very often, marginalized students don't necessarily know how to link classroom learning with exam preparation--perhaps because they don't yet "get" how to do college. By being explicit about how to translate learning (in lecture) into recall and synthesis (on an exam), my hope is that students will begin to develop this skill for themselves.
[/quote]

Hi Don,
Your "How might I test you on this" (love that) reminded me of something one of my colleagues in Physics did. He would put himself in the third person and say "So how would ____(add your name here) answer this question?" "I wonder what ___ found especially hard about this question"... You get the idea. This method may not work for everyone but it sounds like it may work for you.
Tania - Cohort 2

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Originally Posted by Cynthia Swift


Sorry for the late post.

My campus has a STEM Club and a geology club. I have done activities with these students in the past, and I have noticed that it really does build a sense of community. The students feel as if they are apart of something other than just going to class. Also, when I interact with students off campus, I learn so much more about my students, and the kinds of issues they deal with. Also, the club members are the ones who are likely to keep in touch with me after they transfer.

What I need to work on is being more consistent with coordinating activities. I tend to get busy, and I let that get in the way of time spent outside of class. Reading these articles helped emphasize how important these activities are to the students educational experience.



Hi Cynthia,
I think it's wonderful that you are involved with the clubs on your campus. I hear you about how challenging that can be with all of our other obligations. It's what has kept me from maintaining a club myself. A way I have found that works for me is to support other clubs on campus. We have an EAGLE Club (Environmental focus) which is mostly run by biology students. There is enough overlap with the geosciences though that collaborations are easy to do. Lower load for everyone ;)
Tania - Cohort 2

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Originally Posted by Don Barrie


This semester, I've modified certain teaching methods to promote greater participation among students who feel marginalized. For example, I've eliminated cold calling in favor of the "long pause" to give more students an opportunity to respond when they know the answer to a question. Last semester, I relied heavily on cold calling on the premise that students would be more engaged in lecture if they knew I might call on them at some point. Instead, what I found is that students resented being called on when they weren't able to answer a question, and felt in some cases that I was endeavoring to make them look stupid. This couldn't be further from the truth; however, it was helpful feedback to be told that some students perceived my questioning from this perspective. This semester, I'm generally avoiding cold calling. Instead, when I ask a question, I pause...and pause...and pause until someone breaks the silence. This has worked better. My hope is that this sends a message that I care about what students have to say. I also think it may give students a bit more time to muster up some courage to contribute. Sometimes, I'll even be explicit that I'd like to hear from someone who hasn't spoken up yet. Surprisingly (to me), some students respond well to such explicit invitations. Overall, the mood of the classroom seems lighter this semester, and the awkward pauses are becoming shorter and shorter :-) Also, after lecture, I'll sometimes pull someone aside who answered a question to give them some positive feedback for speaking up, or even just for asking a really good question. Overall, the classroom vibe seems better this semester, and my hope is that more students feel validated.

My sense is that some of my students are intimidated just to be in class, and wonder whether they belong (imposter syndrome). Others sometimes preface a question by saying something like, "I know this is probably a stupid question..." This tells me that creating a positive classroom vibe can play an important role in helping some students to feel validated and accepted--in particular, those from historically marginalized groups.

Something else I do to foster inclusivity is to be explicit about how course material might be presented on exams. Often, after covering a concept, I'll say something like, "Okay, how might I test you on this?" Then, I'll give several examples of possible test questions, or ask students to make up test questions on the spot. Reading some of the background material for this activity reminded me that very often, marginalized students don't necessarily know how to link classroom learning with exam preparation--perhaps because they don't yet "get" how to do college. By being explicit about how to translate learning (in lecture) into recall and synthesis (on an exam), my hope is that students will begin to develop this skill for themselves.



Don,

So much good stuff in your post! While the long pause may seem awkward at first, I, too, have found that students are more responsive when I wait. At first, they thought it was funny that I was pausing until they spoke up, and thought that I was setting them up for something. When they realized that I was find waiting for them to think and process, they respected that, and I saw more hands. I'm glad you are seeing positive changes!

I also really like how you describe explicitly helping students translate class material to exam questions. I was just speaking with a colleague yesterday and he shared about how some of his best exam and quiz questions are generated by students. Have you ever used student questions in assessment?

Lynsey - Cohort 1

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Originally Posted by Seth Miller


I do several things to explicitly foster inclusivity in my classroom, like my diversity and inclusivity statement in the syllabus, scientist profiles, and being open about who I am, but I also remind myself that I might not be able to see all of the diversity in my classroom. I was at a professional development workshop on inclusivity in the sciences, and one of the leaders said something that really struck me. There are certain aspects of diversity that are usually obvious, but there are also many, many aspects of diversity that aren't. To support inclusivity in the classroom, he said, you should always assume that you have at least one student in each of the following categories: LGBTQ, disabled, a first generation student, financially insecure, dealing with a medical issue, caring for someone else at home, coping with a learning disability, a religious minority, an undocumented immigrant, the list goes on and on. I'd like to think that I had already been doing that in my classrooms, but having it set out in front of me like that was pretty eye-opening. It struck a particular chord with me because a friend of the family in high school has Tourette's. She has had multiple instances of teachers making snarky comments about Tourette's to students who don't raise their hands and just blurt out answers, which obviously makes her feel so uncomfortable and excluded. Just assuming that the diversity in my classroom is so much more extensive than just the diversity I can see has been really helpful for me, and hopefully my students as well.



Seth,

That is powerful! I think many of us are often quick to assume a lot about students, and then work to address inclusivity from our assumptions. But what could we be doing to further marginalize those that we we assumed incorrectly, or that are not apparent? I really appreciate the perspective that you shared about all of the different aspects of diversity, both seen and unseen, and work to assume that all are present. Thank you!

Lynsey - Cohort 1

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Dan,

Your mention of the inclusive field trips reminded me of the wonderful work done and shared by International Association for Geoscience Diversity (IAGD). Here is the web address: www.theiagd.org

Also, here is a link to an article co-authored by Chris Atchinson, who is the current IAGD president, about inclusive field trips that I found interesting: https://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/josotl/article/view/23455/32403

Lynsey - Cohort 1

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Originally Posted by Donn Viviani



Over the past few semesters, I've been moving towards making implicit rules visible to all students. I do worry about spending too much time on the syllabus the first day of class- I remember reading several discussions about the value of going over syllabi versus starting in on the subject. I tend to hit a few important parts of the syllabus and then direct the students to an online syllabus quiz that they can take as many times as they need. Is there some sweet spot for how much time to spend on the syllabus (and associated expectations and explaining implicit rules), how much time to spend on starting to learn names, and how much time to spend on introducing the class and modeling typical classroom activities?



Donn,

You raise great questions as it relates to the first day experience. Over the last couple of years, I've started day one with geology and ended day one with some of the syllabus overview and some highlights on my expectations. I also ask students what they expect of me, and fortunately, they respond. I think it establishes that I want and value their feedback, and students have been super responsive when they seem to have a bit of agency in the class right from the very beginning. I don't know if it is absolutely right, but it has certainly worked for me!

Lynsey - Cohort 1

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Originally Posted by Alyssa MacDonald


I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I am doing several "inclusive" things in my classroom already and I plan to integrate more of these opportunities for my students. We are lucky in Hawai'i that many of the cultural and environmental issues are on the forefront of the news (at least before Coronavirus) and the discussions of Mauna Kea and the TMT have generated lively discussion of societal issues and the research and educational capacities of the 13 telescopes currently on the mountain. I facilitate an environment of respect in my classrooms so that we can have these open discussions without it turning into a yelling match. Because Biology is an inherently interesting topic, particularly when discussing the human body, I try to bring in topics that discuss societal issues like the concept of "food deserts" in urban areas and the link to increased type II diabetes mellitus. Many students don't make these connections and it's interesting to see the material "come to life" when they consider their own neighborhoods and the issues that people face on a daily basis.

Also, we have been fortunate to have amazing local partners that allow us to do service learning in the communities. We grow native plants in the Horticulture lab and the Biology, Botany, and Horticulture students plant them in different areas on the west side of the island near our school. They enjoy going out into the community, even if it is at 8am on a Saturday. There are cultural sites, like Kalaeloa Heritage Park, that give our students tours of the active archaeological site before they do the planting. This gives them a deeper understanding and respect for our service learning projects because it ties to their native Hawaiian heritage and benefits the communities in which they live. I plan on continuing and, if possible, expanding our service learning to get more students and community groups involved.



Alyssa,

It's always great when you learn you are doing great things! The service learning opportunities you mention sound fantastic. Bringing societal issues into the classroom is equally meaningful. I always find it interesting that students don't often recognize the relevancy of topics to their daily lives, and have worked to be more explicit with that in the classroom as well. I've started incorporating some small activities in class that has students calculate their water and CO2 footprints, and wow!, that has generated some amazing discussion. Suddenly, boring old water becomes really interesting!

Lynsey - Cohort 1

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Hi all,
Sorry I'm late to this discussion. I think continual professional learning is important -- equity/inclusion/diversity require an ongoing reflection and reframing of current practices. It's not a box you can tick "completed". In additional to attending workshops and staying current with readings related to this topic, I try to mentor students proactively. This week, we had geography majors on a zoom call for a workshop on internships. Every fall semester, I visit SDSU (the main transfer institution) with students. We visit the undergraduate advisor for geographer, tour the department, meet with transfer admissions, have lunch with a transfer student, etc. I think this is really beneficial for students to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

~Waverly

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Originally Posted by Waverly Ray


I try to mentor students proactively. ...Every fall semester, I visit SDSU (the main transfer institution) with students. We visit the undergraduate advisor for geographer, tour the department, meet with transfer admissions, have lunch with a transfer student, etc. I think this is really beneficial for students to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

]

Waverly - wow, I'm impressed with what you are doing. The visit to SDSU sounds like a great experience for your students and especially like the lunch with a transfer students.

Heather

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