Originally Posted by Deniz Ballero
Post 1: What I do already in my classes. I reviewed quite a few pages and made check marks on items that I do already and things I need to work harder at so...
Mitigating Stereotype Threat and Solo Status: I always tell my story at the right time which was just this week in my classes-- I felt the need to give students an opportunity to pick their path (because there was two schools of thought with a portion of the course)-- I let them decide but before then, I told MY story to let them know I'm trying to give them tasks that i know they will be successful in because I've been through XYZ myself. A few students reached out to me thanking me for sharing. Our team has also been trying to show images in our courses that represent students we ACTUALLY SEE at GSA-- we incorporated students and their posters at GSA showing the ethnic and gender diversity of students that are currently in the geosciences doing real research. We have also incorporated scientist spotlights (black woman scientist during February) and Polly found a neat article about a war hero that had a physical disability and was actually told by his father he can't be a geologist because of his disability!
Supporting the Whole Student: As I said earlier, there was an issue with an assignment i had given so i actually gave them a choice-- do this or that and you pick what you think is best for YOU. They took a vote and I recorded their responses and will grade them accordingly. I think it worked out well because for one, they know I'm pulling for them to be successful and if they want to do it one way or the other, who cares as long as they do the work.
Instructional Scaffolding: Online labs are very painful so the new design is this scaffolding approach. Traditionally students would either do the lab or not (all or nothing) whereas here with smaller bite sized tiers, they can get work done bit by bit, and they can be corrected before moving on. If life gets in the way, they still have some work turned in and can get partial credit.
Proactive: My syllabus and instructions are extraordinarily explicit... so when a student (rarely) comes to me citing confusion, I am perplexed. Students will know everything that they need to know and how it will count for the entire semester. I do provide a variety of content (video lectures, written notes, study guides, interactive assignments) to cover all learning styles.
Hi Deniz,
Sharing personal stories is always a great way for students to see that you "get it!" I do the same thing in my classes. Such an approach works especially well when you pair that with an approach they can see is designed to support even if it challenges them. Having an instructor who believes in their students is an absolute necessity. What a student believes about themselves can make or break their college career. Excellent work on supporting them!
Showing a diverse population of geoscientists and geo students is definitely a plus. Scientist spotlights are also fabulous. Do you pair those spotlights with an assignment? If you don't include an assignment with the spotlights, I invite you to read Jeff Schinske's paper on the subject: Scientist Spotlight Homework Assignments Shift Students’ Stereotypes of Scientists and Enhance Science Identity (link to paper is here:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5008894/pdf/ar47.pdf). I participated in the SAGE 2YC workshop "Inclusive and Effective College Science Classrooms: Engaging Students, Designing Lessons, and Integrating Diversity into Curriculum" at GSA this year where Kimberly Tanner and Jeff Schinske were facilitators. If you were at that workshop, you can skip to the next paragraph! Jeff's presentation really hit me! I am working to develop assignments to start using next semester as a result. Kimberly Tanner was also a presenter and her work on creating equitable classrooms was fantastic! Kimberly Tanner has authored several papers on the topic that are excellent and really impacted the way I think about activities in the classroom.
I really like your offer of a different way to complete an assignment when there is an issue. Being flexible about the way an assignment is accomplished while still providing a rigorous learning experience is the mark of an excellent instructor. I also believe that students will work harder when they feel an instructor has their back and really wants to see them succeed.
Giving students a means of doing an assignment in pieces is a fantastic idea! I may borrow that plan now that I am forced to move online. Your approach is kind of like the way video games are created now. When your character "dies" you don't go back to the beginning of the game like we did in the early days! There are catch points that prevent you from losing everything. Having a schaffold of assignmentments means they cannot easily get a zero for the lab or chapter or however you are breaking it down. That is especially helpful for students who are the "perfect student." The single mom managing a job and kids, the first generation student with no guidance at home, the student who isn't really sure they belong in college. you are giving them a way to climb their way to success. I like it!
Your last point is something I will now have to get really good at. I will no longer have the opportunity to "discuss in class." I will need to use your approach and be very explicit. Keep up the good work!