CRAFTING AN INCLUSIVE PALEONTOLOGY CLASSROOM (Invited Presentation)

In an inclusive classroom, all students feel welcomed and valued for their whole, authentic selves. Their unique experiences are recognized and students are supported in ways that lead them to succeed. Unfortunately, students from marginalized groups face systemic barriers to their full participation and success in undergraduate STEM courses. Implicit biases about ability, engagement, and academic preparedness negatively impact student confidence, participation, grades, and retention. Stereotype threat, an internalization of implicit bias, especially impacts student performance on high-stakes assessments. These processes shape student experiences and hinder the success of women and minority students in STEM courses and majors. As instructors, we can use inclusive strategies in our teaching that mitigate the impacts of these processes. In this session, we will discuss a variety of research-supported inclusive pedagogy practices, including decisions about course structure and content, classroom and grading practices, and student support. Attendees will create their own action plan with concrete steps they can take to create a classroom culture in which all students are empowered to succeed.