Eco-STEM Tools: Changing the Culture of Teaching and Learning in STEM

Work-In-Progress: Re-Engineering Engineering: A Collaborative Inquiry Toward a Solidarity Engineering-Focused Future

“…Through reflective dialogues within the L-CoP, chairs discussed classroom/program climate, structure, and vibrancy to support the development and growth of healthy educational ecosystems (Menezes et al, 2022;Warter-Perez et al, 2022;Bowen et al, 2022b), as well as their own participation in these systems. For example, one Fellow shared that, in the first session, they were still trying to figure out the "multiple identities defining me" as we talked about intersectionalities of various identities related to race, class, gender, disability status, etc.…”

“…The goal of our NSF-supported project, known colloquially as Eco-STEM, is to establish a STEM educational ecosystem that allows all individuals within the ecosystem to thrive (Menezes et al, 2022). Project activities are guided by ecosystem paradigm measures that support culturally responsive learning/working environments, make teaching and learning rewarding and fulfilling, and leverage community assets to enhance motivation, excellence, and success (Menezes et al, 2022;Warter-Perez et al, 2022;Bowen et al, 2022b). The context of our work on STEM educational ecosystems is a Very High Hispanic Enrolling (VHHE) Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) at California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA), where the majority of our students are also low-income and first-generation (Office of Institutional Effectiveness, 2022).…”

“…We believe that the Highlander Folk School model of reflection and practice (Brian & Elbert, 2005) can support radical change in systems. Much of the work done in the Eco-STEM project thus far has emphasized the role of faculty through Faculty Communities of Practice (F-CoP) (Warter-Perez et al, 2022), an inclusive Teaching Repository, a reflective Peer Observation Process and Tool (Bowen et al, 2022b), and a Student Experience Survey that is in the process of development (Eco-STEM). However, in this paper, we describe how leaders, in their leadership capacity as chairs of science and engineering departments, develop an understanding of their role as leaders through a lens of power and privilege--both as individuals in the broader context of society (e.g., mostly white leaders with significant structural and cultural privilege teaching and leading at a predominantly minority serving institution) and as science and engineering disciplinarians and epistemologists who have formed specific beliefs of what constitutes appropriate student participation and behaviors in their departments and colleges.…”

Eco-STEM: Transforming STEM Education using an Asset-based Ecosystem Model

“…Through our work-in-progress submission, we are hoping to receive feedback from peers on our work to create a healthy educational ecosystem in STEM. We also encourage those interested in the project to read the other Eco-STEM publications, which provide further details on specific strategies used by the project (i.e., [17], [24], and [38]).…”

“…Thus, the Eco-STEM Peer Observation Tool is designed to promote faculty reflection and growth. More details on the Peer Observation Tool, along with other tools developed by the Eco-STEM team to support reflective faculty growth, is provided by Bowen et al [24].…”