Disciplinary significance of social caring in postsecondary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics

“Why am I here?”: A phenomenological exploration of first‐generation college student experiences in STEM majors within a predominantly white institution

“…With respect to academics, all students should be provided the opportunity to achieve in college level STEM courses regardless of high school preparation. Additional academic supports for FGCS, including summer academic bridge programs providing a preview of college or review of content, or school year supplemental learning sessions, tutoring, and study skills sessions have been found helpful for boosting the academic achievement of minoritized students by providing content and skills students may not have been exposed to in high school (Appleby et al, 2021; Carpi et al, 2017; Carver et al, 2017; Contreras, 2011).…”

“…Topics for pedagogical enhancement include advancing a critical lens toward scientific practice (e.g., Rodriguez & Morrison, 2019; Rosa & Mensah, 2021); promoting student‐centered and practice‐based STEM learning (Schwarz et al, 2017): and reframing the purpose of STEM to solve social problems (e.g., Marco‐Bujosa, 2021; Minken et al, 2021). These pedagogical shifts promote equity in STEM learning environments by strengthening students' conceptual understanding of STEM content and academic self‐efficacy (Appleby et al, 2021; Bang et al, 2012; Carpi et al, 2017; Fouad & Santana, 2013; Hurtado et al, 2011; Johnson et al, 2020).…”

“…Such findings have implications for the role that STEM faculty must play in challenging these problematic, dehumanizing STEM norms within and outside of the classroom (Appleby et al, 2021;Kim & Sax, 2009). Professional development should work to empower faculty members, to encourage them to redesign STEM majors and courses to represent best pedagogical practices in higher education and K-12 education which take FGCS also into consideration.…”

“…Findings indicated that such services enhanced student academic success in mathematics and interest in STEM careers. In contrast, Appleby et al (2021) reported on a summer bridge intervention to enhance the achievement and persistence of historically marginalized students in engineering majors that was focused on experimentation and discussion, rather than lecture of foundational content in physics and calculus. Findings indicated that students were able to engage more meaningfully in scientific sensemaking, learned the content on a deeper level, and were exposed to the work of STEM professionals through such efforts.…”

How chemists handle not-knowing in reasoning about a novel problem

“…Much of his work has focused on how students frame what it is they are doing as learners (Hammer et al, 2005). In recent years he has come to focus attention on the role of student affect and social interactions on disciplinary engagement, both in his research and in his teaching (Jaber and Hammer, 2016;Watkins et al, 2018;Radoff et al, 2019;Appleby et al, 2021).…”