Creating Inclusive Laboratories for Lyman Briggs Biology GTAs and UGLAs

Creating Inclusive Laboratories for Lyman Briggs Biology GTAs and UGLAs

Lyman Briggs College A residential learning community devoted to studying the natural sciences and their impact on society. Biology, chemistry, and physics laboratories are housed under the same roof as classrooms, faculty offices, and student residences.

Lyman Briggs College 2009 Freshman Class 81% Caucasian 7% Asian 6% Black 2% Hispanic 0.5% Native American 1% International 2% Unreported • 40% Male • 60% Female • 19% Honor’s College

Defining the Problem • Retention of underrepresented minority students in Lyman Briggs College remains a challenge and a focus of curricular reform and intervention efforts. • Undergraduate Learning Assistants (UGLAs) and Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) play a vital role in the LB curriculum. • Yet, UGLAs and GTAs are not trained to recognize diversity and consider its implications for teaching and learning.

Participant Demographics • 21 participants • 3 GTAs, 18 UGLAs • Average 1 year experience (range 0-3) • Race/ethnicity • 13 White • 3 Asian • 1 More than one race • 4 did not respond • Gender • 12 Female • 5 Male • 4 did not respond

Resources • CIRTL Diversity Resources • Resource Book • Case Studies • Scientific Teaching by Jo Handelsman, Sarah Miller, and Christine Pfund • Don Gillian-Daniel • Diversity Issues in Teaching Workshop materials

LEARNING OBJECTIVESBy the end of the workshop, participants will… • Be able to define diversity • Understand how diversity affects teaching and learning. • Understand that a variety of teaching methods can reach a diversity of students. • Recognize the effects of diversity on student groups and group learning. • Be aware of unconscious bias and understand how it might affect grading. • Develop tools, strategies, and resources that can contribute to an inclusive laboratory environment.

Workshop Activities • Teaching Diversity Introduction and Discussion • Develop self-awareness; prepare for discussion of diversity • Defining Diversity Icebreaker • Begin to develop definition of diversity • Diversity Presentation • Evidence from the primary literature • Case Studies • CIRTL resources • Diversity and Group Learning Presentation • Karl Smith Activity • Effect of diversity on group dynamics • Brainstorming Session • Unconscious Bias Presentation • Evidence from the primary literature

Assessment • Pre and Post workshop survey • How would you describe an “inclusive learning environment”? What characteristics contribute to an inclusive learning environment in biology laboratories? What characteristics detract from an inclusive environment? • Define diversity. • Explain how diversity is related to teaching. • Results from brainstorming session • Participant written narratives

How would you describe an “inclusive learning environment”? Pre-Workshop Post-Workshop Openness Comfortable Respect Equal accountability Do not marginalize Recognize/be aware of diversity Be aware of group dynamics • Availability • Comfortable • Equal access • Equal opportunity to participate • Everyone involved • Treat everyone equally

Define diversity. Pre-Workshop Post-Workshop Differences Variation Listed a greater number of characteristics and commented on the characteristics they had not considered previously. • Differences within a group • Variation • Listed specific characteristics

Explain how diversity is related to teaching. Pre-Workshop Post-Workshop Teacher must recognize differences and the effect on student learning. Diversity adds to group dynamic. Opens students to new ways of thinking. “By having a diverse group of students, it allows for them to move in different directions, making progress, rather than being stuck as one group of the same.” • Answers were vague. • We all learn differently. • We all teach differently. • Challenges due to different learning styles.

The objectives were clear. The objectives were achieved. The instructional methods were effective. The activities gave me sufficient practice and feedback. The presenters were well prepared. The presenters communicated effectively. I will be able to use what I learned in this workshop. This workshop will change the way I conduct myself as a teaching assistant. % Agreement

Open-ended Responses • “I really think this was one of the really helpful workshops/presentations of my college career”. • “It [the workshop] has made me aware of how many things I need to consider as a TA and has gotten me to really consider how I might handle some of these situations”. • “Talking with my peers and hearing the instructors’ experiences were both helpful in giving me a better understanding of diversity and how this applies to our labs”. • “I learned a lot about myself, which I hope to use to form an appropriate teaching style.” • “The aspect of diversity most drilled into our heads is that of race and ethnicity and I was very happy this wasn’t solely focused on race.”

Brainstorming Responses • Talk to/interact with everyone. • Engage shy students. • Make yourself available/approachable. • Employ different teaching styles. • Create a theme for team names to engage different groups. • Promote specific roles and group organization. • Wide range of tasks. • Refrain from potentially inappropriate jokes. • Don’t pick favorites. • Be aware of group dynamics. • Be sensitive of language barriers. • Draw line between peer and instructor role. • Be cautions when talking about personal life. • Avoid make assumptions about students.

Written Narratives • Sophisticated (2) • Defined diversity based on multiple characteristics • Clearly described the effects of those characteristics on the group dynamic. • Provided insight to deal with similar issues in the future. • Developing (10) • Defined diversity based on a few characteristics • Characteristics were more vague (ex: strong personality) • Posed some suggestions for future. • Absent (3) • Defined diversity on race and/or gender only. • Did not describe the effects of diversity on group dynamic.

Conclusions • Surveys and conversations with students suggest this was a valuable and well received experience. • Ice breaker activity was revealing for students; diversity is more than just race and gender. • Yet, many students described diversity in terms of race/gender only in the narratives. • Honest discussions with peers and other instructors were highly valued.

Future Directions • Expand workshop to include all LB UGLAs and GTAs • ~100 assistants who interact with up to 1300 students • Peer Instruction/Discussion • Use narratives • Add mid-semester activity • Add a reflection survey at the end of the semester in addition to narratives

Creating Inclusive Laboratories for Lyman Briggs Biology GTAs and UGLAs