Education Commons^™

Fierce Female Friendships: An Artistic Representation And Exploration Of The Benefits Of Gender-Based Inclusivity And Community In Stem, Maya Bachmeier-Evans

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Incorporating visual art, social research, women’s studies, and artificial intelligence, Fierce Female Friendships investigates the ramifications of gendered experience on the learning environment. By reflecting upon her work in a male-dominated discipline, the author transforms her sense of classroom isolation into two paintings that highlight the subtle yet significant differences that separate inclusivity from alienation. In addition to her personalized reflections, the author also creates a fourteen-question survey which invites her peers to consider gender in academia, to assess their experiences on a university campus, and to imagine how they might depict those experiences using visual art. Positing the idea …

Equity In Stem: Utilizing Student Experience To Better Inform Policy And Practice, Natasha Hessami

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

As women and people of color continue to pursue higher education and other advanced degrees, the STEM field consistently lags behind in diverse representation and leadership. There is a critical need to address the structural barriers marginalized groups face to accessing and succeeding in STEM and invest both time and money into innovative student-centered solutions. This project outlines the development of the CSE Student Ambassador program and implementation recommendations, the development and presentation of seminars focused on equity in the Biology and Chemistry departments, and general recommendations for faculty to make classroom and lab spaces more inclusive.

Cultivating An Inclusive Culture In Stem: Understanding The Role Of Scientists In Shaping Diverse And Inclusive Communities, Tian Qing Yen

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

There are few opportunities in science to talk about the ways race, gender, and other intersectional identities shape our work. However, our positions as scientists do not excuse us from the responsibility of cultivating a culture of inclusion in STEM. This project describes the development and facilitation of a workshop created specifically for students studying science to engage with community, identity and oppression. The project includes a lesson plan with activities, and analyses of the responses from students who attended the workshops and the response of the community.

Lost In Translation: How The Way We Talk About Math And Science Isn't Helping Anyone, Jonathan Flynn

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

All podcast episodes are found at the bottom of the page under Additional Files.

"Lost in Translation" is a podcast that discusses the problems with our society's attitude towards science, technology, engineering and mathematics and we can address them.

This podcast has three episodes which are listed in Additional Files, along with the bibliography.

Change At The Core: A Collaborative Model For Undergraduate Stem Education Reform, Emily Borda, Edward Geary, Emily Schumacher

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Residency

Here we describe two projects that describe and study the effects of Change at the Core (C-Core), a professional development program for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) faculty and an institutional reform project for three interlinked institutions. One takes a classroom view, describing initial implementation of student-centered teaching in C-Core participants’ classrooms, and the other takes an institutional view, describing affordances and constraints of the Western Washington University (WWU), Whatcom Community College (WCC), and Skagit Valley College (SVC) collaboration.

Student Attitude Toward Mathematics At The Middle And High School Level, Anna Berglund

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

The question of attitude toward mathematics is one of great importance and one that is associated with large implications for students. Studies on student attitude focus on determining the relationship of attitude to the perceived relevance of mathematics to future academic and career choices. Student attitude toward math in middle and high school can affect student enthusiasm for taking advanced math courses in high school and college and can largely determine future career choices. For these reasons generating positive attitudes toward mathematics among middle and high school students is an important goal of mathematics education.