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1.
CBE Life Sci Educ ; 23(3): es5, 2024 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38900941

ABSTRACT

Research experiences are an integral part of training future scientists and fostering diversity in science. Providing culturally responsive research mentorship, defined as mentorship that incorporates cultural knowledge to improve learning experiences for a particular group, is a critical step in this endeavor. While culturally responsive mentoring is most commonly associated with mentoring students with underrepresented races and ethnicities in the sciences, it can also be helpful for mentees with a diversity of abilities, sexualities, economic backgrounds, and religions. In this essay, we discuss how mentors can provide more culturally responsive mentoring of Muslim research mentees in the sciences. Muslims are a stigmatized minority group in the United States who participate in a religious culture that often differs from the secular culture of science. Notably, there are few resources for how to engage in culturally responsive mentoring of Muslim research mentees. To address this gap, we drew from the extant literature on the challenges that Muslims encounter in the United States, which likely extends to the context of scientific research, and identified potential culturally responsive accommodations in research.


Subject(s)
Islam , Mentoring , Mentors , Humans , Research , Science/education , Cultural Competency/education , Students , United States
2.
CBE Life Sci Educ ; 22(3): ar31, 2023 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37347813

ABSTRACT

Fear of negative evaluation (FNE), defined as a sense of dread associated with being negatively judged in a social situation, has been identified as the primary factor underlying undergraduate anxiety in active-learning science courses. However, no quantitative studies have examined the extent to which science undergraduates experience FNE and how they are impacted by FNE in college science courses. To address this gap, we surveyed 566 undergraduates from one university in the U.S. Southwest who were enrolled in life sciences courses where they had opportunities to speak in front of the whole class. Participants were asked a suite of questions regarding their experiences with FNE in large-enrollment college science courses. We found that first-generation college students, LGBTQ+ students, and students with disabilities reported disproportionately high levels of FNE compared with their counterparts. Additionally, students reported that FNE can cause them to overthink their responses and participate less in class. Participants rated being cold called and presenting alone as forms of whole-class participation that elicit the highest levels of FNE. This research highlights the impact of FNE on undergraduates and provides student-generated recommendations to reduce FNE in active-learning science courses.


Subject(s)
Disabled Persons , Sexual and Gender Minorities , Humans , Students , Universities , Fear
3.
CBE Life Sci Educ ; 22(1): ar9, 2023 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36637379

ABSTRACT

Depression is one of the leading mental health concerns among science undergraduates, and rates of student depression increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Revealing one's depression in an academic science environment can be helpful, because it can result in increased support from others. However, depression is considered a concealable stigmatized identity, meaning that it can be kept hidden and may carry a stigma. A national pivot to online learning owing to COVID-19 not only increased the need to bolster student mental health, but also presented a novel learning environment. However, it is unclear to what extent students revealed their depression in science courses and why. We surveyed 1179 undergraduates with depression at a research-intensive institution about whether they had revealed their depression to an online college science instructor. Very few undergraduates (5.9%) had revealed their depression to online science instructors; students who identify as LGBTQ+, have lower grade point averages, or experience more severe depression were more likely to reveal their depression to an instructor. Undergraduates reported potential benefits from doing so, including building a connection with the instructor and receiving accommodations. This work provides insight into steps science instructors can take to foster inclusive course environments for students with depression.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Students , Humans , Students/psychology , Cost-Benefit Analysis , Depression , Pandemics
4.
PLoS One ; 17(6): e0269201, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35648764

ABSTRACT

Depression is a top mental health concern among college students, yet there is a lack of research exploring how online college science courses can exacerbate or alleviate their depression. We surveyed 2,175 undergraduates at a large research-intensive institution about the severity of their depression in large-enrollment online science courses. The survey also explored aspects of online science courses that exacerbate or alleviate depression and we used regression analyses to assess whether demographics predicted responses. Over 50% of undergraduates reported experiencing depression and LGBTQ+ students, financially unstable students, and lower division students were more likely to experience severe rather than mild depression compared to their counterparts. Students reported difficulty building relationships and struggling to perform well online as aspects of online science courses that exacerbated their depression and the flexible nature of online courses and caring instructors as aspects of online courses that alleviated their depression. This study provides insight into how instructors can create more inclusive online learning environments for students with depression.


Subject(s)
Depression , Education, Distance , Educational Status , Humans , Students/psychology , Universities
5.
CBE Life Sci Educ ; 21(2): ar18, 2022 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35294254

ABSTRACT

Depression is one of the top mental health concerns among undergraduates and disproportionately affects students who are underrepresented in science. As such, understanding how emerging science learning environments, such as online science courses, affect students with depression is integral to creating a more inclusive scientific community. In this exploratory study, we interviewed 24 undergraduates with depression who were pursuing an online BS degree in biological sciences at a research-intensive institution. We assessed how students perceived depression affected their learning, and in turn, how online science courses affected their depression. Using a hybrid approach of deductive and inductive coding, we found that students reported depression negatively affected an array of cognitive domains when learning science online, including students' effort, focus, and time management. Students reported that the fast pace of online courses, the lack of needing to show up to a class in person, and difficulty developing relationships with other students commonly exacerbated their depression. Conversely, the flexibility of completing course work when and where students wanted, developing a relationship with the instructor, and the ease of having questions answered online positively affected students' depression. This study provides insight into ways to create inclusive online learning environments for students with depression.


Subject(s)
Biological Science Disciplines , Education, Distance , Depression , Humans , Students/psychology
6.
CBE Life Sci Educ ; 20(4): ar69, 2021 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34806910

ABSTRACT

Anxiety is the top mental health concern for undergraduates. While researchers have identified ways that in-person science courses can affect anxiety, little is known about how online science courses affect anxiety. In this study, 2111 undergraduates at a large research-intensive institution completed survey questions about their anxiety in large-enrollment online science courses. Specifically, we assessed students' anxiety in the context of online science courses and asked what aspects of online science courses increase and decrease their anxiety. Students also identified what instructors can do to lessen anxiety in online classrooms. We used open coding and logistic regression to analyze student responses. More than 50% of students reported at least moderate anxiety in the context of online college science courses. Students commonly reported that the potential for personal technology issues (69.8%) and proctored exams (68.0%) increased their anxiety, while being able to access content at a later time (79.0%) and attending class from where they want (74.2%) decreased their anxiety. The most common ways that students suggested that instructors could decrease student anxiety is to increase test-taking flexibility (25.0%) and be understanding (23.1%). This study provides insight into how instructors can create more inclusive online learning environments for students with anxiety.


Subject(s)
Education, Distance , Students , Anxiety/prevention & control , Humans , Technology , Universities
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