2024 Inclusive Teaching  Symposium

Struggles & Success: Implementing Inclusive Teaching Strategies

Thursday, May 2, 2024
4:00PM - 6:00PM ET
Free Online Event

Presentations for the 4th Annual NABT Inclusive Teaching Symposium were accepted through a double-blind peer-review process that was open to biology educators and researchers at all levels.

We extend a special thank you to our reviewers for their time and detailed feedback.

A recording of the symposium will be available after the event.

2024 Presentations

Interactive Learning For Inclusive STEM Education: Unveiling The Transformative Power Of A Taboo-Inspired Activity

Ashley Burkart, Estrella Mountain Community College, Avondale, AZ

ABSTRACT: Interactive learning can be a catalyst for promoting inclusivity in STEM education. In this presentation, I will unveil an interactive and engaging game I've crafted, drawing inspiration from the classic Taboo game, designed to turbocharge students' understanding of class content. Envision students buzzing with enthusiasm as they pair up, diving into the roles of Clue Giver and Guesser, fully immersed in an unforgettable learning adventure. With its dynamic pair-based structure, this game sparks creativity and critical thinking, empowering students to unravel complex concepts without relying on specific terms. It's more than just fun—it's a catalyst for profound engagement and comprehension. Additionally, I'll share invaluable insights gleaned from student feedback collected through metacognitive self-reflections. These reflections shed light on the game's impact on communication, problem-solving skills, and overall comprehension, illustrating the transformative power of interactive learning. By seamlessly integrating activities like this Taboo-inspired game into STEM education, educators can revolutionize their classrooms into vibrant hubs of learning and inclusivity. Join me to explore practical strategies to enhance student learning outcomes and foster an environment where every voice is celebrated and valued.

A Gender-Inclusive Introductory Genetics Lesson

Sam Long, Denver Public Schools, Denver, CO 

ABSTRACT: Teaching biology holds rich opportunities to engage students who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) and those with LGBTQ+ family members. I will share a typical high school introductory genetics lesson that has been modified three ways to include diverse student identities and families. I will present two strategies that can be applied to many lessons: using precise language over gendered generalizations, and framing diversity as a positive aspect of biology. Teachers will be invited to reflect on blind spots in their curriculum, and to adapt their lessons to fit the needs of their school community.

Reflections on Development of a BioQUEST Community of Practice from the Inclusive STEM Teaching Project

Sarah Prescott, BioQUEST/University of New Hampshire, Raymond, NH; Sarah Homer-Drummond, AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships at NSF, Washington, DC; Deborah Rook, BioQUEST, Vienna, VA

ABSTRACT: The BioQUEST virtual Inclusive STEM Teaching Project (ISTP) Learning Community (LC) model has provided educators with a non-judgmental, supportive environment in which to gain an understanding of inclusive teaching principles, and embark on sustainable change within their courses, departments and institutions. The current ‘BioQUEST Doing Community’ community of practice, that grew out of the prior LCs, and which is comprised of former participants, demonstrates the efficacy of a supportive, virtual, accessible environment to support widely dispersed faculty and administrators who are working to make sustainable, effective, inclusive change in STEM education. Here, we describe the evolution of BioQUEST’s facilitation of the ISTP materials and how it is being used to continue growing inclusive teaching principles despite current resistance to the ideas of inclusion and equity as being important to successful STEM education. We propose the adoption of similar communities of practice for STEM educators to collaborate, support each other, and embed inclusive teaching practices within their courses and institutions.

Using CarbonTIME for Inclusive Teaching in High School Biology

Elizabeth de los Santos, University of Nevada - Reno, Reno, NV and Kathleen Stynen and Sylvia Scoggin, Washoe County School District, Reno, NV

ABSTRACT: This study describes how a reform-oriented curriculum can support inclusive teaching practices. We conducted a case study to investigate how two high school biology teachers in one school district implemented CarbonTIME to support their students’ understanding of matter and energy. Teachers participated in a two-year professional learning experience that included 15 hours of a professional development course and meetings with a science education researcher to make sense of their curriculum implementation. Data sources included teacher interviews, classroom observations, and transcriptions of video-recorded PLC meetings. Student outcomes included analysis of focus group interview data for students’ perceptions of their experiences with the curriculum and student learning as measured on a districtwide semester assessment. Findings indicate that this curriculum can help improve student learning and develop students’ epistemic agency and inclusion through discourse routines and instructional practices that elicit students’ prior knowledge, including home, family, and cultural knowledge. Implications for biology teachers include assessment as a potential positive motivator for teachers to shift their instructional practices that can promote inclusion for all students.

Special Presentation

Disclosure Decisions: Exploring the Concealable Stigmatized Identities of Science Instructors

Sara Brownell, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ