Description

SCORE-UBE (Sustainability Challenges for Open Resources to promote an Equitable Undergraduate Biology Education), EDSIN (Environmental Data Science Inclusion Network), B(ui)LDS (Biological Universal and Inclusive Learning in Data Science, BLUE (Biodiversity Literacy in Undergraduate Education), iDigBio (Integrated Digitized Biocollections), and QUBES (Quantitative Undergraduate Biology Education and Synthesis), and BioQUEST Curriculum Consortium are organizing a new webinar series entitled “Inclusive Teaching Practices in STEM Education.” The purpose of this series is to initiate discussion on topics related to inclusive teaching practices while building community among a diversity of STEM disciplines interested in creating a more inclusive learning environments for undergraduate students. Our partners represent very different communities in the world of STEM, but we are all really interested in fostering more diverse and inclusive communities, so one goal of this project is to raise awareness of the existing knowledge base and resources that exist.

Title: Fixed vs Growth Mindset and Why the Biggest Challenge May be Faculty

Abstract: Many studies have documented better performance of students that have a growth mindset, believing that their intellectual abilities can improve through various strategies, compared to students with a fixed mindset, a belief that their intellectual abilities cannot increase or be developed.  As a matter of fact, we created a STEM Boot Camp that emphasizes student growth mindset with strong evidence of increase student retention and performance (Lisberg and Woods 2018).  However, students may continue to struggle in class, not because of their own mindset, but of the fixed mindset of the faculty.  This webinar will explore how faculty can teach with a growth mindset and identify some potential areas of fixed mindset that might prove to be obstacles for many students.

Presenter Bio: Dr. Brett Woods is the Interim Dean of the Wanek School of Natural Sciences at High Point University. He earned his PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Kansas.  He studies marmots.  His research focuses on the processes that govern fat deposition as well as behaviors that lead an organism to gain mass, specifically in preparation for hibernation.  Dr. Woods has worked directly and/or indirectly with over 150 URM students in STEM fields.  Dr. Woods was a 2014 recipient of the University of Wisconsin System Regents Diversity Award.

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