Concurrent Sessions : 7:00 - 7:50 p . m . ET Exploring a Framework for Building Belonging Culture in STEM Classrooms
There is an urgent need to foster belonging STEM classrooms that support historically marginalized students ’ persistence in STEM courses and careers . The PRISE Institute at St . Joseph ’ s University has developed a framework that addresses the significant structural barriers preventing some students from pursuing study in STEM by improving teacher practices , school environments , and school communities . In this interactive session , presenters will share a framework co-developed by university faculty , teacher educators , and administrators on building belonging in STEM classrooms . The presentation will provide vignettes and invite participants to explore ways of applying the framework in high school and university STEM classrooms .
Objectives :
1 . Identify barriers to creating belonging in high school and university STEM classrooms . 2 . Explore institutional , administrative , and teacher-level practices that can be enacted in high schools and at universities to support student success in STEM classrooms . 3 . Determine action items to foster STEM student success at their home institutions .
Intended Audience : K-12 and Higher Education faculty , administrators , and support staff Emphasis : Instructional strategies for creating belonging Presenters
Greer Richardson is a Professor of Education at La Salle University . She teaches courses in educational psychology , methods , and transformative pedagogy . Her research focuses on STEM teacher development . She is also the Associate Director of the Philadelphia Regional Institute for STEM Educators ( PRISE ).
Stacy Olitsky is an Associate Professor in the Department of Teacher Education . She teaches courses in science education and the sociological foundations of education . Her research interests include the relationship between identity and learning , social and emotional engagement in science classrooms , and STEM teacher retention in high-need schools .
Arthur Mitchell is the Executive Director of the STEM Equity Alliance . He has been an active voice for underserved populations and a change agent for issues of equity and access , especially in STEM education .
Bonnie Hallam has spent 40 years in education working with hundreds of elementary and middle school teachers to develop skills and knowledge around inquiry-based science . For the past 12 years , she has been a project coordinator for the Philadelphia Regional Institute for STEM Educators ( PRISE ) where she supports the recruitment and retention of math and science teachers .