University of Northern Iowa University of Northern Iowa

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CSBS INSPIRE Student Research & Engagement Conference

2020 INSPIRE Student Research & Engagement Showcase

Apr 17th, 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Using Self-reflection and Community Engagement Opportunities Using Self-reflection and Community Engagement Opportunities

to Combat Social Justice Issues to Combat Social Justice Issues

Dionna Williams University of Northern Iowa

Catherine Zeman University of Northern Iowa

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Recommended Citation Recommended Citation Williams, Dionna and Zeman, Catherine, "Using Self-reflection and Community Engagement Opportunities to Combat Social Justice Issues" (2020). CSBS INSPIRE Student Research & Engagement Conference. 67. https://scholarworks.uni.edu/csbsresearchconf/2020/all/67

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Using Self-reflection and Community

Engagement Opportunities to Combat

Social Justice Issues

Dionna Williams, M.A. Candidate Health Education

Dr. Catherine Zeman, Professor Environmental Health, HRCS and RRTTC, CHAS

Panther Initiative for Environmental Equity and Resilience, PIEER

1

UNI Sustainability and Academic Programs

2

UNI Sustainability Programs

Sustainability Faculty

Centers Academic Degrees

and Certificate

Provost Facilities

Sustainability Director

What is PIEER?

3

• Panther Initiative for Environmental Equity

and Resilience, PIEER

– Began in 2014

– Focus

• equity

• resilience

• Internship experience

Pedagogical Foundations

• Systems thinking

– Donella Meadows

• Education as Transformation

– Paulo Freire and Bell Hooks

• Science of Consilience

– Lynn McTaggart

• Empathy Education

– Nadine Dolby

4

Student Composition • Total/avg.

– 33 unique students • 50% repeat for a second semester

• Race/Ethnicity – African, African American, Anglo, European, Hispanic/Latino,

Middle Eastern

– Anglo to non-Anglo percentage 0.63/0.37 on average (last semester 0.5/0.5)

• Religion – Agnostics, Atheists, Christians, Muslims, Pagans

• Gender – F, 0.48/ M, 0.52

5

Student Composition

• Academic home – Biology, Criminology, Environmental Science, Health

Sciences, Business, Sociology/Psychology, Physics, Computer Science, Political Science, and Chemistry

– CHAS, COB, COE, and CSBS

• Academic rank – Predominantly juniors and seniors, 3 Graduate Student

Coordinators

• Recruitment – Student

– Faculty

6

Internship Structure

• Weekly meetings

• Weekly to bi-weekly activities/programs

– Outreach/engagement

– Program/materials development

• Structured reading assignments/discussions

• Support Office of Sustainability Programing and other Centers as appropriate to topics

• Averages 5-6 unique activities per semester

7

Internship Structure

• “Create your adventure”

• Stipend

• For credit and noncredit

8

Our Study

• Cross-sectional

• Evaluate long-term impact

• Questionnaire survey

• Data analysis

– Microsoft Excel

– JMP 14 software

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Methodology

• Permission granted by the IRB

• 29 individuals received the invitation

– Informed consent

• 21 usable responses (72% response rate)

10

Methodology

• Impact on interns’ thinking in areas of environmental issues and social justice

• Performed data analysis

– Includes a descriptive distribution analysis to review and analyze findings

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Findings

• Diverse group

• 2 semesters, on average

– Range from current up to 6 semesters

• 1.5 years ago, on average

– Range from current up to 5 years

• Increased understanding

• Agents of change

12

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TABLE 1 Participant Demographics (n =21)

Demographic # of participants

% of participants

Gender

Female 10 47.6%

Male 11 52.4%

Race/Ethnicity

Anglo 9 42.8%

Other/Non-white 12 57.1%

Belief/Faith/Spiritual Tradition

Agnostic 3 14.3%

Atheist 1 4.7%

Christian 5 23.8%

Muslim 9 42.9%

Other/ Unspecified 3 14.3%

TABLE 1 continued Participant Demographics (N =21)

# of participants % of participants

Academic rank during first PIEER

experience

Freshman 2 9.5%

Sophomore 2 9.5%

Junior 4 19%

Senior 13 61.9%

Major College

College of Humanities, Arts, & Sciences 9 42.9%

College of Business 2 9.5%

College of Education 7 33.3%

College of Social & Behavioral Sciences 3 14.3%

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TABLE 2 Survey Questions and Average Response (N=21)

Evaluation Questions Response

Average*

Standard

Deviation

Relevant to major 3.9 1.2

Gave understanding of intersectionality and social justice issues 4.8 0.4

Helped me pursue professional opportunity related to social justice 4 1.1

Helped me pursue professional opportunity related to environmental equity 4 1.1

Impacted my opinion about social justice issues 4.7 0.6

Impacted my opinion about environmental justice issues 4.7 0.5

Inspired me to tell others about intersection of environmental and social justice

issues

4.5 0.7

Caused me to be mindful of my privilege in society 4.6 0.7

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TABLE 2 continued Survey Questions and Average Response (N=21)

Helped me grow as a person 4.6 0.6

Caused me to be aware of issues involving environmental justice 4.65 0.7

More likely to continue volunteering for events that benefit social justice 4.42 0.7

More likely to continue volunteering for events that benefit environmental change 4.57 0.6

Living a more sustainable lifestyle 4.42 0.6

Educate others about environmental justice issues 4.42 0.8

Educate others about social justice issues 4.38 0.9

Participate in service opportunities focused on environmental equity issues 4.09 1

Participate in service opportunities focused on social justice 4 1.2

Example Projects

• Reducing Toxic Exposures

• Lead Awareness

• Nutrition Education

• Community Service

• More!

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Example Projects

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Conclusion

• Addressing issues and raising awareness

• Making a lasting impact

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Foundational and Suggested Readings • Donella Meadows and Diana Wright, Thinking in

Systems: A Primer, 2008

• Lynne McTaggart, The Bond, 2011

• Nadine Dolby, Rethinking Multicultural Education

for the Next Generation the New Empathy and Social

Justice, 2012

• Bell Hooks, Teaching to Transgress, 1994

• Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, 1970

• Ijeoma Oluo, So You Want to Talk About Race, 2018

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Questions?

21

Thank you!

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