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Dr. Bryan M. Dewsbury

Speaker: Dr. Bryan M. Dewsbury

Assistant Professor College of the Environment and Life Sciences

The University of Rhode Island

Principal Investigator, Science Education And Society Research Program

Thursday, April 11th

12:30pm-1:30pm

Location: PSB 240, UCSC

Thursday April 11th Seminar:

Title: Teaching for meaning and purpose - Inclusive practices in academe

Description: "In this talk I will dissect what inclusion can mean in a science classroom. Using mixed methods approach, I will tell the story of an inclusive pedagogical approach that helped facilitate the development of students who were both academically successful, as well as reflective on their emerging adulthood. Inclusion in this context demands a rethinking of how we measure and consider things like success, if in fact the classroom is representative of students as key stakeholders. We will discuss this in the context of my practice, with suggestions for practitioners who themselves are considering more inclusive approaches to their courses."

About Dr. Dewsbury:

Dr. Dewsbury the Principal Investigator of the Science Education & Society (SEAS) research program.

The SEAS research program focuses on questions relating to identity constructs, bias, relationships, and the effects of those variables on learning in students (K-PhD).

More specifically he is interested in how students (especially those in underrepresented groups) develop perceptions of the world and others, and how these perceptions might in turn affect their engagement with science content, career choices, and ultimately their academic performance. Central to the formation of these constructs are the presence of hidden biases, stereotype threat, and mindset. He uses a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods to deduce the effects of these forces, and partner with local schools and URI to implement interventions that have proven to be effective.

Ultimately Dr. Dewsbury is interested in helping to re-frame the education discussion to better address questions of equity and community-building, with the belief that the solutions to these are equally important to student exposure to content. In the process, his work addresses pressing issues such as student retention in STEM fields (especially in higher ed), the under-representation of minority groups in certain STEM fields, and the role of affect domain in student learning gains. He also uses the results of the efforts to develop curricula that are more inclusive of these new understandings of what makes students successful.