Session E07: Practices for Inclusive Physics Education

Live

In STEM fields, and physics specifically, there are growing interests in methods to create learning environments more inclusive, especially for students from underrepresented groups. While there are researchers and educators who are developing curriculum and pedagogy towards this, there are some common themes that cut across these efforts that contribute to an inclusive education environment. In this talk will, I will overview a few of the inclusive practices I have experienced and applied in learning environments in and outside the classroom. I will also pull on the underlying themes that cut across these practices that can inform us about the conditions that help make them successful.   

Live

We will describe a 70 minute classroom intervention offered in 100-level physics classes to promote a more inclusive department through having all physics students consider how to counter microaggressions and bias. This intervention has been offered to incoming physics majors for the past 5 years at our institution. In spring of 2019, 16 past workshop participants were interviewed by two senior physics majors, and their responses to the intervention fell into three categories: appreciation (it was a good discussion to have to “raise awareness” about the issue)—5 male students; approval (women and non-binary students expressed themes of feeling “good,” “recognized,” and “supported” by the content of the workshop; male students expressed appreciation that the workshop highlighted a problem that they may inadvertently be contributing to, and provided tools for how to support women and intervene)—9 students including all women and nonbinary students in the sample; dislike (feeling “browbeaten into apologizing for their being less women in the field;” the workshop leader “made many enemies in the class)—2 male students. We will present the contents of the workshop, the range of reactions, and our advice for others who would like to present similar workshops.   

Live

Learning Assistants (LAs) are undergraduate students who work as a part of the instructional team to improve the experiences and outcomes for students. Research shows that the presence of LAs in classes has increased student engagement, inclusion, retention, and learning outcomes, especially for students traditionally underrepresented in STEM. When instructors and students made emergency transitions to remote instruction, it became clear to campuses that had LA programs that LAs were instrumental in establishing a sense of community, empathy, support, and hope for the students and faculty with whom they worked. I will review the central tenants of the LA model along with data from multiple universities that indicates the value of the LA model for supporting, building, and understanding inclusive learning environments. In doing so, I will make inferences about the mechanisms that lead to the program's growth and valued outcomes.