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We investigate the utility of two qualitative measures of equity. Our data are videos of groups of first-generation and Deaf or hard-of-hearing students in a pre-matriculation university program designed to help them persist in STEM fields by developing their metacognitive practices. We analyze video data of students in small groups trying to accomplish various tasks. We analyze how groups engage with proposed ideas (inchargeness) and create a space of open sharing (civility). By capturing different aspects of each group, these measures combine to help our understanding of what an equitable group could look like.

Research shows that community plays a central role in learning, and strong community engages students and aids in student persistence. Thus, understanding the function and structure of communities in learning environments is essential to education. We use social network analysis to explore the community integration of students in a pre-matriculation, two-week summer program. Unlike previous network analysis studies in PER, we build our networks from classroom video that has been coded for student interactions using labeled, directed ties. We also examine the change in student conversation topicality over the course of the program, and its connection to the forming student collaborations. We define 3 types of interaction: on-task interactions (regarding the assigned task), on-topic interactions (having to do with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)), and off-topic interactions (unrelated to the assignment or STEM). While we do not see a significant change in network analysis measures, we do find fewer off-task interactions later in the program, suggesting that the need for these interactions to negotiate the collaboration is reduced.

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