Diversity in the College Classroom

Robert LueHavard

University

Standing on the shoulders of

James StithAmerican Institute of

Physics

Christine PfundUniversity of Wisconsin -

Madison

Sarah EddyUniv. of Washington

and Margaret BlankenbillerEvergreen State College

Based on Presentations by:

Let's Stir the Pot!

Redistribute as follows:

#1s ➠ Gene Expression#2s ➠ Ecology#3s ➠ Evolution#4s ➠ Science and Society

#5s ➠ Chem/Bio#6s ➠ Cell and Development 1#7s ➠ Cell and Development 2

Learning Outcomes:

Participants will be able to:

1.Recognize the many aspects of diversity and the role the science classroom plays in diversifying science.

2.Describe stereotype threat and unconscious bias and how it impacts the classroom environment.

3.Develop a strategy for creating an inclusive classroom using your knowledge of unconscious bias, stereotype threat and dimensions of diversity.

Changing Faces of Science

?

In pairs, describe your classroom. What is your student population like?

2 minutes

“Traditional Students”

What are some examples of diversity in your classroom?

Are there any we haven’t mentioned?

Changing Faces of Science

Changing Faces of Science

In groups of 3, brainstorm how “traditional students” might have

advantages in the current education system?

Explain your answers.5 minutes

Case Study• At your tables, assign a person to read one

of 4 perspectives starting with the professor.

• After everyone has read their perspective, discuss the following questions and be prepared to report out to the class:

• What might each student be thinking and experiencing?

• What suggestion would you make to the professor?

• How might one avoid this situation in the first place?

7 minutes!

As teachers, what can we learn from this case study?

Changing Faces of Science One Minute Paper:

Describe an un-inclusive experience you have (or someone you know has) had as a

teacher or co-worker, (i.e., where someone was unintentionally impacted by something

said or done).

How could you prevent this from happening again?

2 minutes

- In pairs share your story and your ideas for how to avoid creating this situation in the future.

4 minutes

Some Definitions:•Unconscious Bias

• Unintended

• Influenced by what we have been exposed to/have experienced.

• Can impact how someone acts

•Stereotype Threat

• Fear that one’s behavior will confirm an existing stereotype of a group with which one identifies.

• Can impact student performance.

Data on Unconscious Bias and Stereotype Threat:

In your groups, discuss the following questions as they relate to the data at your table:

1.What unconscious bias or stereotype threat might this result highlight?

2.How might this bias affect the classroom learning environment?

3 minutes!

•What bias and stereotype threat does the result highlight?

•How can this bias affect the classroom learning environment?

Study for Table AIf African American or female students are asked to identify their race or gender, respectively, at the start of an exam, they will do statistically worse on that exam. (Steele, Claude M. and Joshua Aronson. 1995. "Stereotype threat and the intellectual test performance of African Americans." Journal of personality and social psychology 69:797-811).

Data on Unconscious Bias and Stereotype Threat:

•What bias or stereotype threat does the result highlight?

•How can this bias affect the classroom learning environment?

Study for Table BBlind, randomized trial: When asked to rate the quality of verbal skills indicated by a short text, evaluators rated the skills as lower if they were told an African American wrote the text than if a they were told a white person wrote it, and gave lower ratings when told a man wrote it than when told a woman wrote it.

(Biernat, M., and M. Manis. 1994. Shifting Standards and Stereotype-Based Judgments. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 66:5-20).

Data on Unconscious Bias and Stereotype Threat:

•What bias or stereotype threat does the result highlight?

•How can this bias affect the classroom learning environment?

Study for Table CBlind, randomized trial: Evaluators rated the same job performance lower if told it was performed by a woman. This difference was substantially greater when evaluator was busy or distracted.

(Dovidio, J. F., & Gaertner, S. L. 2000. Aversive racism and selection decisions: 1989 and 1999. Psychological Science, 11, 319–323, and Martell, R. F. 1991. Sex bias at work: The effects of attentional and memory demands on performance ratings for men and women. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 21, 1936-1960.)

Data on Unconscious Bias and Stereotype Threat:

•What bias or stereotype threat does the result highlight?

•How can this bias affect the classroom learning environment?Study for Table D

CVs of real women were assigned a male or female name, randomly, and sent to 238 academic psychologists to review either 1) at the time of job application or 2) at the time of review for an early tenure decision. Respondents were more likely to hire the applicant if a male name was found on the CV at the time of job application. Gender of applicant had no effect on respondents’ likelihood of granting tenure when their CV was reviewed as part of an early tenure decision. However, there were four times more “cautionary comments” in the margins of the tenure packages with female names such as “We would have to see her job talk.”

(Steinpreis, R. E., K. A. Anders, and D. Ritzke. 1999. The impact of gender on the review of the curricula vitae of job applicants and tenure candidates: A national empirical study. Sex Roles 41:509-527).

Data on Unconscious Bias and Stereotype Threat:

•What bias or stereotype threat does the result highlight?

•How can this bias affect the classroom learning environment?

Study for Table EParents’ estimates of math ability are higher for sons than for daughters, despite no gender differences in grades or test scores.

(Yee, D.K. and J.S. Eccles. 1988. Parent perceptions and attributions for children's math achievement. Sex Roles 19: 371-333).

Data on Unconscious Bias and Stereotype Threat:

•What bias or stereotype threat does the result highlight?

•How can this bias affect the classroom learning environment?

Study for Table FSubjects were told to select one of two rooms in which to watch a movie. In each situation there is a handicapped person sitting in one of the rooms. If both rooms are showing the same movie, the subjects were more likely to choose the room where the handicapped person is sitting. If the rooms are showing different movies, the subjects are more likely to choose the room where the handicapped person is not sitting. The result is the same independent of which movie is showing in the room with the handicapped person.

(Snyder, M. L. 1979. Avoidance of the handicapped – attributional ambiguity analysis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 37(12): 2297-2306).

Data on Unconscious Bias and Stereotype Threat:

•What bias or stereotype threat does the result highlight?

•How can this bias affect the classroom learning environment?

Study for Table G White and Black college students received critical feedback and a low grade on a writing assignment from a white faculty member. When students received this negative feedback, black students self-reported lower confidence in their ability to improve based on feedback than white students, lower motivation to make revisions based on the feedback, and rated the faculty member as more biased towards them. When the instructor took the time to tell these students that a) they had high standards and b) reassured the student that they could do it, black students responded to the feedback with as much motivation and confidence (and in some cases more) as white students and reported lower levels of bias on the part of the instructor.

Cohen, GL, Steele, CM, Ross, LD. 1999. The mentor’s dilemma: providing critical feedback across the racial divide. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 25: 1302-1318.

Data on Unconscious Bias and Stereotype Threat:

So what can we do to empower all our students?

In your groups brainstorm to lists:

- Strategies you could employ IN YOUR CLASSROOM to create a more inclusive

environment.

- Challenges YOU FACE in incorporating more inclusive classroom practices.

-Look at other people’s answers and feel free to add comments or suggestions.

10 minutes

Closing Reflection

In your notes, answer the following question:

What are 1 or 2 ideas you will take back to your classroom from these

conversations?

1 minute

Group Identified Challenges• Stereotype threat

• Identifiying lack of motivation vs. lack of confidence

• Grading bias

• Identifying our unconscious biases

• Coping with our own unconscious biases

• Finding time and motivation

• How do we include everyone?

• Teaching centers may not support science faculty

• Teaching evals better initially for standard lecture

Group Identified Solutions• Real world examples that can impact

their lives

• Remove names from assessments

• Use technology to bring diverse role models into class/homework

• Don’t assume someone wants to be a spoke person for their race

• Books that might be useful: “Madame cure complex” – about historical bias in science and “Dignifying Science” – graphic novel with great women scientists

• Acknowledge own bias to class apologize when you make a mistake

• Randomly call on students in class

• Reassure students that this is a hard class and I believe you are capable of rising to the challenge

• Learn how to pronounce names and try to learn names

• Ask for anonymous feedback early in semester and act on suggestions

• Make yourself more approachable using humor and personal stories

• Use stories in class and reach out to students

• Identify learning resources and cultural centers on campus for students and yourself

• Model problem solving skills don’t assume all students have the same skill set

• Use low stakes opportunities to give feedback to students (like peer review)

• Set clear expectations

• These are skills that you need practice

• Get feedback from colleagues

• Institutional recognition for active/inclusive classroom

• Start slowly when integrating changes.