Organized by Anna K. Monfils and Ann K. Sakai BSA Human Diversity Committee

Broadening Participation – Recruiting and Retaining Outstanding Scientists in the Botanical Sciences Organized by Anna K. Monfils and Ann K. Sakai BSA Human Diversity Committee

Sponsors • iDigBio • Ecology Section of Botanical Society of America • Teaching Section of Botanical Society of America • American Society of Plant Taxonomy/Systematics Section of Botanical Society of America

Increasing Retention of Underrepresented Groups in Biology: The Role of the Graduate Student Teaching Assistant Chris O’Neal David Geffen School of Medicine UCLA

TAs and STEM Student Retention • Talking About Leaving: Why Undergraduates Leave the Sciences (Seymour & Hewitt, 1997) • Interviews and focus groups with students at seven institutions • Of the 23 factors found to contribute to students’switching decisions, #22 was: “Poor teaching, lab or recitation support by TAs”

Why Look at the TA as aFactor in Science Retention? • In university science gateway courses, TAs have more contact hours with students than faculty do. • E.g., in U-M’s large science gateway courses, TAs account for between 52% and 85% of student contact hours.

U-M Research Research Question How do undergraduates describe the influence of TAs on their plans for a major? Hypotheses • Students who describe the TA as decreasing their interest in science are more likely to plan to leave science. • Switchers and Stayers differ in how they describe their TAs’ teaching behaviors.

Survey Questions • Before the fall term, I planned to major in science, engineering or math. • As of NOW, I plan to major in science, engineering or math. * Survey respondents were asked to rate their agreement with the above statements on a 5-point scale of Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree.

Survey Questions • How have the following factors influenced your choice of major? * Survey respondents asked to rate the above factors on a 3-point scale from Decreased Interest in a Science Major to Increased Interest in a Science Major. • Professor • TA • Lecture climate • Lab climate • Course grade • Math grades • Learning about a career or major outside of science • Other

Respondents • 3,655 students enrolled in Biology, Chem, & Physics • 2,669 responded to survey (73%) • 2,840 of those enrolled were first- and second-year students • 1,952 first- and second-year students responded (69%) • 47% of these first- and second-year students also provided qualitative comments

Additional Information • Student survey respondents were matched with information from the registrar on: • Race • Gender • Final Course Grade • End-of-term course evaluation data were collected on 113 TAs, teaching 191 sections.

Findings From the Quantitative Analysis Of the first- and second-year students who entered these courses: • 1,588 (85.2%) maintained their original plan to major in science • 42 (2.3%) became more interested in science • 220 (11.8%) became less interested in a science major • Of those who became less interested, more than half had a course grade of 3.0 or better.

Quantitative Analysis Methodology We performed a multiple linear regression, with TAs as the unit of analysis (% of TA’s students who self-identified as Stayers or Switchers).

Statistically SignificantFindings • Factors associated with retention • Lab climate • Course grade • Math grade • Learning about careers • Factors associated with attrition • Lab climate

Role of the TA in Retention and Attrition • Neither TA nor Professor directly implicated in students’ decisions. • Lab climate is the only factor associated with both retention and attrition. • Do students see TAs as influencing the lab climate?

Qualitative Exercise (if time) • In your pairs: • How do students define lab climate? • How might the TA’s role in the lab climate affect students’ decisions to stay in or leave science?

How do Students Describe Lab Climate? • Not necessarily like we did! • Student comments focused on: • How welcoming and excited the TA was • Transparency of expectations • Transparency of possibilities

How do Students Describe Lab Climate? • Student comments focused on: • How welcoming and excited the TA was “The GSI’s ability to make the lab atmosphere fun … definitely made doing the labs a lot easier. Furthermore, his cool attitude made it a lot easier to listen to what needed to be done, making the learning process more effective.… [I]t increased my interest in doing a science major.” (Asian-American male sophomore, grade=A)

How do Students Describe Lab Climate? • Student comments focused on: • How welcoming and excited the TA was “My GSI yelled at people, yet wouldn’t help them fix what was wrong. She wasn’t very patient either.” (female first-year student, race unknown, grade=A)

How do Students Describe Lab Climate? • Student comments focused on: • Transparency of expectations “[My GSI] always was fair in grading and calm in mood.” (Hispanic female first-year student, grade=B)

How do Students Describe Lab Climate? • Student comments focused on: • Transparency of expectations [The GSI should] explain the grading system more clearly. Science classes at the University of Michigan are frustrating enough without knowing how your grades are figured. (white male sophomore, grade=A-)

How do Students Describe Lab Climate? • Student comments focused on: • Transparency of possibilities My [GSI] increased my interest in pursuing a science major because she was continually talking about how she chose her career path and always trying to get us involved in research opportunities. (white female sophomore, grade=A)

How do Students Describe Lab Climate? • Student comments focused on: • Transparency of possibilities Perhaps if [my GSI] had explained her research or involvement here at Michigan I could have seen what was in store for [my] future, but she didn’t explain that to us. (Hispanic male sophomore, grade=A-)

Recommendations for TA Training Train TAs to: • Understand science student retention issues • Discuss science research opportunities and careers with students • Give clear explanations and responses to questions • Use explicit grading and assessment practices • Build rapport with all students

Organized by Anna K. Monfils and Ann K. Sakai BSA Human Diversity Committee