Division III Open Meeting—Feb. 19, 2015Diversity and Successful General Education

Agenda• - Diversity in Science/Math majors (30 min)• - Ideas for being more welcoming to all students (30 min)• - Models for curricular changes to General Education (30 min)

Diversity• Is having a diversity of students in our courses and majors

important to us?

• Do we have a diversity of students in Science & Math majors?

• Are we appropriately engaging all students, including diverse students?

DePauw data• OIR has provided three tables:• SM grads by ethnicity• SM grads by gender• SM grads by first-generation

• Look at tables with the lens of the SM division

• Look at tables with lens of your department/program

• Do we have diversity? Where can we improve?

Average Number of SM Courses Taken by Non SM Majors

Average Number of SM Courses taken by Non SM Majors

DSOC 3.3White 3.3International 4.1 Female 3.3Male 3.4 FG 3.4Non-FG 3.3

David Asai (HHMI Sr. Dir. of Undergrad Programs)• 40% of all undergrads who enter college saying they want to

study STEM do graduate with a STEM degree, but only 20% of minority students do.

David Asai (HHMI Sr. Dir. of Undergrad Programs)• 40% of all undergrads who enter college saying they want to

study STEM do graduate with a STEM degree, but only 20% of minority students do.

• Minority students graduate at the same rate, but they are more likely to switch to different majors, even when they share the same predictor variables with white students.

David Asai (HHMI Sr. Dir. of Undergrad Programs)• 40% of all undergrads who enter college saying they want to

study STEM do graduate with a STEM degree, but only 20% of minority students do.

• Minority students graduate at the same rate, but they are more likely to switch to different majors, even when they share the same predictor variables with white students.

• Intro courses are where students often get turned away.

David Asai• Undergrad research programs for individual students are

expensive, come late in one’s college career, and are selective.

David Asai• Undergrad research programs for individual students are

expensive, come late in one’s college career, and are selective.• Instead, what about Course-based Research Experiences (CRE)

—research embedded in courses? This has produced some good new science and good outcomes for the students (e.g., greater retention).

David Asai• Undergrad research programs for individual students are

expensive, come late in one’s college career, and are selective.• Instead, what about Course-based Research Experiences (CRE)

—research embedded in courses? This has produced some good new science and good outcomes for the students (e.g., greater retention).

• CREs need to be genuine scientific problems, technically simple, have minimum prerequisites.

David Asai• Undergrad research programs for individual students are

expensive, come late in one’s college career, and are selective.• Instead, what about Course-based Research Experiences (CRE)

—research embedded in courses? This has produced some good new science and good outcomes for the students (e.g., greater retention).

• CREs need to be genuine scientific problems, technically simple, have minimum prerequisites.

• Put money into Intro courses rather than just advanced labs. May retain more students in science, and for others it may be their only experience in science.

PCAST• “data show that evidence-based teaching methods are more

effective in reaching all students—especially the “underrepresented majority”—the women and members of minority groups who now constitute approximately 70% of college students while being underrepresented among students who receive undergraduate STEM degrees (approximately 45%)”

President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (2012)

Classroom strategies• Are there more interactive ways we can successfully engage

ALL students in learning?

• What techniques do people use to welcome and engage ALL students?

• What might be challenges we face as instructors?

• What might be challenges for our students?

Gloria Townsend in CS• Encouragement (notes on exams)• Role modeling (use seniors in Intro courses)• Mentoring• Collaboration rather than competition (can do everything in

pairs except for exams)• “Tryout” (to address fear of the unknown)• Lab assistants and in-class assistants (paid or peer tutor)• DyKnow• Bulletin boards

Valerie Purdie-Vaughns• Remove cues that trigger worries about stereotypes• Convey that diversity is valued• Create a critical mass• Create fair tests, present them as fair and as serving a learning

purpose• Value students’ individuality• Improve cross-group interactions• Present and recruit positive role models from diverse groups• Help students manage feelings of stress and threat• Support students’ sense of belonging• Convey high standards and assure students of their ability to meet

these standards• Promote a growth mindset about intelligence• Value-affirmations to reduce stress and threat

DePauw’s Gen Ed Revision• Three models from CAPP• Keep current 2-2-2 and add 2-course “M” requirement• Adopt “Six experiences” model and add a seventh “Difference and

Diversity” experience• Three course “common core” during the first year: Western

intellectual tradition, Eastern intellectual tradition, multicultural issues

• Geo has a “Four Pillar” proposal

• Which of these do we think will provide students with the best experience in Science and Math?

• What about a lab requirement?

Future dates• Brown bags:• Wed., March 11, 11:30-12:30 (Julian 152)• Wed., April 8, 11:30-12:30

• Next Division-wide meeting:• Wed., April 29, 7:00-8:30 p.m.

• Summer workshop:• Tuesday, May 26• Stephanie Chasteen, PhD in Physics, Associate Director of CU-

Boulder’s Science Education Initiative• Learning goals, interactive instructional techniques