The importance of SoTL in creating more inclusive institutional climates Kathy M. Takayama, PhD Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University Decades of research have shown that diversity enhances creativity, productivity, innovation, and teamwork*. However, diversity in and of itself does not create a climate of inclusive excellence. ?: *e.g. Freeman, R. B. & Huang, W., 2015, J. Labor Econ. 33, S289–S318; Hewlett, S.A., Marshall, M. & Sherbin, L., How Diversity Can Drive Innovation, Harvard Business Review,
Diversity:
•    Necessary but not sufficient for institutional excellence. ● Without inclusion, diversity is an empty gesture. Inclusion: affirmation and agency ● Students feel that they belong, that they can be successful, that their contributions are valued, and that the university expects them to be successful. SoTL as a change agent toward Inclusive Excellence — building institutional capacity for student belonging
● an institutional stance of commitment to the process of continuous self-examination and learning. ● not an end point. ● requires the institution to embrace a growth mindset, and to reject deficit-based approaches to “fixing the student.” ● faculty are central, but ownership by all across the institution is necessary. Key institutional pre-conditions for reaching potential toward inclusive excellence: Clearly articulated and shared vision (Theory of Change) Ongoing shared ownership Readiness and transparency Sustainability and capacity building is of primacy Ongoing evaluation – impact is seen as an ongoing process that does not end with the funding period
interventions measurable outcomes impacts external fo Desired objective What does it look like? (climate; measures; structures; etc.) What primary pre-conditions have to be met? (faculty/administrators behaviors and practices) What pre-pre-conditions have to be met? (faculty/administrators beliefs/values) What practices/processes need to be enacted?
● Change agents need to function at multiple levels of the institution ● Implicit theories of change → explicit theories of change ● Awareness of values and beliefs ● Challenges, opportunities and partnerships ● Sustainability Supporting change agents through SoTL Framework for SoTL: Change processes toward advancing diversity and inclusion [based on Kezar et al. 2015, The Review of Higher Education, 38(4), 479-506.]
SoTL as a change agent: a story and experiment about women and physics...
15 min writing exercise Circle the 2 or 3 most important values and describe in a few sentences why they are important to you.
sense of humor career spiritual or religious values athletic ability creativity belonging to a social group relationships with family & friends independence learning and gaining knowledge  government or politics *Miyake et al. (2010). Reducing the gender achievement gap in college science: A classroom study of values affirmation. Science 300, 1234-1237. Women’s grades: increased from C to B Men’s grades were unaffected Your values are important What you believe is valued You belong
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•  Values affirmation reduced the male-female performance and learning difference substantially and elevated women's modal grades from the C to B range. •   Benefits were strongest for women who tended to endorse the stereotype that men do better than women in physics.
Data and Impact ● Gathering comprehensive and relevant institutional data that will be instrumental in the change process. • Ethical use/dissemination of data – impact on faculty biases? Rules vs. practices. • Implementation fidelity: transferring models across institutions or trying to scale. ● Distinction between the impact of change vs. the process of change. Impact may be different across the institution, even if the process is the same.
● Continued resistance of some faculty to accept and engage with the research and evidence on teaching and learning. ●    Flawed assumptions that “student success will flow” from faculty development efforts. ● Need to take a systems approach to enact transformative change, and bring together relevant stakeholders to identify and connect existing efforts. l want my students to experience a pedagogy of wholeness and interconnectedness that allows us to uncover deeper truths about our inner self, our fellow human beings, and our world. Mays Imad 2019. Reimagining STEM education: Beauty, wonder, and connection. Liberal Education 105(2). Thank you kathy.takayama@oist.jp