Talk: Normalizing Struggle to Foster Belonging and Inclusive Classroom Norms: A Psychosocial Intervention Approach.
Overcoming adversity is an integral part of the college journey. Struggling is essential for learning, and persevering through scientific challenges is a hallmark of a successful scientist. However, some students may misinterpret struggles in their science courses as a sign that they do not belong or are incapable of succeeding in science. This perception is especially common among students who enter college experiencing belonging uncertainty—those from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds, women and first-generation students—who face societal stereotypes questioning their place and potential in science. For these students, encountering adversity can further exacerbate their belonging uncertainty, resulting in disengagement from their discipline and poor academic outcomes. This dynamic perpetuates academic performance gaps between different demographic groups, reinforcing inequalities in science.
In this presentation, I will discuss an empirically validated ecological belonging intervention that normalizes overcoming adversity in college, encourages help-seeking behaviors and reassures students that they belong, despite setbacks. Implementing this short classroom activity early in the term establishes classroom norms that foster productive struggle, resulting in increased student engagement, improved learning outcomes and a more equitable learning environment.
Talk: This Week in °®¶¹´«Ã½: A Live Podcast Experience for Boosting °®¶¹´«Ã½ Education
This session will offer an opportunity for the audience to experience the award-winning podcast, "This Week in °®¶¹´«Ã½ (TWiM)." The session will showcase the podcast's format, featuring the hosts and attendees discussing current research using a conversational approach.
Those attending will gain valuable insights in the following areas:
Engaging students with cutting-edge microbiology: TWiM's live format fosters curiosity by bringing the latest research directly to students.
Enhancing scientific method comprehension: The podcast unpacks research papers, deconstructing the scientific method and encouraging critical analysis.
Promoting critical thinking skills: Hosts and guests debate and dissect research findings, modeling strong critical thinking practices for students.
Enlivening classroom discussions: Live recordings capture the excitement of scientific discovery, providing a dynamic resource for in-class discussions.
Beyond the conference, attendees will learn how to effectively utilize TWiM in their classrooms:
Identifying relevant episodes for specific topics.
Encouraging student listening and discussion prompts.
Leveraging episode transcripts and supplemental materials.
This session anticipates that attendees will learn how TWiM can foster and become a powerful tool for faculty, fostering student engagement with microbiology research and strengthening their scientific method and critical thinking skills.
Title: This Joy That I Have…Fostering Justice and Joy Through STEM Transformation
Scholars and practitioners vested in STEM education transformation must address and attempt to mitigate oppressions that manifest through STEM culture, content, classrooms and research experiences. Rooting transformational strategies in critical, strengths-based frameworks present opportunities to foster justice and joy for all involved in the STEM education ecosystem. In this presentation, I will provide insight into how to use critical, strengths-based frameworks to root transformational strategies toward justice and joy!
Title: Navigating °®¶¹´«Ã½ and Biology Education Careers: The Power of Community
Academic careers are often thought of as having a traditional path that most faculty will follow, yet, in reality, there are many unique ways that individuals enter and navigate through their academic careers. While I followed a particularly unorthodox pathway, along the way I benefited from several supporting and collaborative communities. There is power in finding your community, and my successes in microbiology education and research are directly related to the communities to which I belong. I will share my academic journey and the communities that have supported me along the way.
