Abstract Detail

Broadening Participation - Recruiting and Retaining Outstanding Scientists in the Botanical Science

O'Neal, Christopher M. [1].

Increasing Retention of Underrepresented Groups in Biology: The Role of the Graduate Student Teaching Assistant.

Despite impressive improvements in the retention of some underrepresented minority (URM) groups in the biological sciences, other groups continue to lag behind in their proportional representation. Pushes from the National Science Foundation, academic institutions and other organizations have focused on faculty mentorship, bridge programs, and undergraduate research opportunities as mechanisms for addressing the retention gap. Little has been done, however, to empower graduate student teaching assistants to positively impact URM retention in the classroom, the teaching lab, and in office hours. This is a particularly unfortunate oversight in the biological sciences, where TAs at large institutions account for a majority of the contact time students have with instructors. This presentation will review some of the research on how instructor behaviors in and out of the classroom impact students’ decisions to stay in or leave the sciences. Participants will have the opportunity to explore qualitative data collected at the University of Michigan from students in gateway sciences courses, including biology. We’ll close with a discussion on preparing TAs to teach “for retention,” and look at some best practices that arise from our research.

Broader Impacts:

1 - University of California, Irvine, Teaching, Learning, & Technology Center, 3018 Anteater Instruction & Research Building, Irvine, CA, 92697-4150, USA

Keywords:
Retention
Underrepresented Minorities
Teaching Assistants.

Presentation Type: Symposium or Colloquium Presentation
Session: SY03
Location: Versailles Ballroom/Riverside Hilton
Date: Tuesday, July 30th, 2013
Time: 11:15 AM
Number: SY03009
Abstract ID:394
Candidate for Awards:None