The learning targets for the students are as follows:

The students will be able to...

1. Describe STEM and their related careers.
2. Explain the gender inequities in STEM fields.
3. Research and apply artifacts related to gender inequities in STEM.
4. Effectively provide constructive feedback to their peers' work.

Learning target 1 will be addressed in sections 2 and 3 of this learning module. Learning target 2 is assessed in section 4; learning target 3 is assessed in section 5; and learning target 4 is assessed in section 6.

It is vital that students are knowledgeable in the STEM fields and their related careers. STEM is a growing community of learning that our students deserve to be educated in to be successful members of a modern society. Additionally, it is essential that students are made aware of the biases that come along with STEM fields so they can break those stereotypes and rise above. As educators, we want our students to have a level playing field for their education and their careers.

Purpose - Before diving into a research-centered learning module, it is important that your students are familiar with how to effectively research using scholarly articles. The pre-course survey serves as a formative assessment on the students' prior knowledge. This can also be used as a pre-test if needed.

Method - Take time to ensure your students understand the ins-and-outs of research-centered learning. Modify instructional decisions based on the results from the pre-course survey. It is implemented as a formative assessment to guide instruction to best fit the learning needs of your individual group of students. Using Padlet to share their ideas of research learning will get the students used to the social-media approach to learning as well.

Purpose - Before diving into the data that shows the gender inequities in STEM fields, we must ensure that the students are knowledgeable on what exactly STEM is and the career fields involved with it. STEM fields are growing at 17% compared to other fields growing at 9.8% according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Education in STEM creates "critical thinkers, increases science literacy, and enables the next generation of innovators" (Engineering for Kids, 2016). It is clear how STEM learning is essential to the future of the world's workforce. By having students engage in learning about STEM in general, they learn not only about the fields themselves, but also of their importance for their own future. 

Method - By having students research a specific STEM career field of their choosing, the students are fully engaged in the content of STEM and its related fields. Incorporating a social media like approach where students are commenting on each others' updates, the learning does not stop. The discourse related to STEM fields continues like the comments on a Facebook or Instagram post would (except these comments are a little more detailed and researched!). If you notice the students' conversations are starting to stall, interject thought-provoking questions or provide an additional media element like a YouTube video to keep the learning growing.

Purpose - Gender biases about "who can be, should be and is usually good at science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) have long-lasting consequences for engagement with and motivation towards STEM domains." Typically, these stereotypes are introduced early in childhood and reinforced throughout adolescence by the "presence of male teachers in STEM subjects and an imbalanced classroom gender composition" (McGuire, et. al, 2020). Because of this, it is vital to educate students not only on the importance of STEM fields, but also focus on breaking those stereotypes that exist. Having students first share their ideas of what a scientist/etc. looks like to Padlet allows them to see their common misconceptions that TV shows and movies have shaped their minds with. Padlet is another platform that provides a social media element for students to be motivated by. The video below provides a brief introduction to Padlet if you are unfamiliar with this platform:

Padlet. (2017, Feb 2). Introduction to Padlet. Padlet. [Video File] Retrieved from: https://youtu.be/U3P5QySmLeU

Method - After students have brainstormed what they initially thought a STEM worker looks like through Padlet and researched what "real" STEM workers look like, engage them in a class discussion (in person or virtually) on what a "real" STEM worker looks like. The goal is to get the students to realize that THEY are scientists/mathematicians/inventors/engineers. These people that work in STEM are not the traditional image portrayed on TV and movies. It is essential that the students see that there is no one cookie-cutter way to look to be involved in STEM.

Purpose - Just like having the students actively research STEM fields, having them research the gender gap in STEM places them in the center of their learning process. The goal is for students to find and create their own knowledge. That is why we are encouraging students to research the gender gap on their own terms.

Method - For some students, diving into research can be intimidating. Be sure to check in with students to ensure they're using credible scholarly cites. If needed, I often incorporate an additional mini-lesson on how to find legitimate sources versus blogs and opinionated cites. Encourage dialogue amongst the class; ask students to reflect upon their previous misconceptions on what a STEM worker looks like. Pose questions like: What are the reasons they had these initial ideas? How do these misconceptions connect with the data found on the gender gap in STEM?

Purpose - Students learn and retain more content knowledge when they are active in the learning process. When students create knowledge artifacts, like they are asked to do in this section, the students become active in their learning. According to Drs. Cope and Kalantzisof the University of Illinois, they are "being the scientists" instead of being passive students answering multiple choice questions on a traditional assessment (Cope, Kalantzis, 2012). Creating knowledge artifacts leads to higher cognitive thinking processes for the students as well. Allowing students to choose their own specific type of STEM field to research, gives them free choice in their research, which further engages and motivates them to learn the content they choose. By having students research concepts chosen by them, they are fully engaged in learning the content. In order to effectively create a knowledge artifact, students must be knowledgeable on the content being researched, thus requiring learning to occur.

Method - Check in with students frequently to monitor progress for the research and writing of their first draft. If you feel your students need structured dates of completion for certain parts of their draft, then implement that approach as needed. The website here provides beneficial tips on how to foster the research and writing process for students. Provide ample and reasonable time to allow students to complete their first draft. One full week of instructional days is generally what I aim for with my students, but it always depends on the specific group of students you have.

Purpose - In a 2006 study, Yang, Badger, and Yu studied how peer feedback was beneficial for students. They found that feedback given by the teacher was not as successful as feedback given by peers. Students took the teacher's feedback at face value, and did not investigate further to fix their works. However, students were more skeptical of the accuracy of their peers' feedback and it prompted the students to "search for confirmation by checking instructional manuals, asking the teacher, and/or performing more self-corrections." This led to the students having a deeper comprehension on the content involved (Gielen et al., 2009). Engaging students in a recursive peer feedback process enables them to not only help their peers improve their research, but also helps them improve their own work. When students are providing feedback on others' knowledge artifacts, they are furthering their knowledge on the rubric they are being graded on for their own knowledge artifact. This allows students to realize where they need to improve their own artifact while helping others improve theirs at the same time.

Method - The websites below from Edutopia shows why peer feedback is helpful and explains ways to implement this:

How to Teach Students to Give Peer Feedback

Giving Peer Feedback Helps Writers Grow

Allow students ample time to read through all assigned peer reviews. Encourage students to have the rubric open next to them as they are reviewing.

Purpose - Having students complete the Post-Course Survey helps you collect data to improve this learning module for future implementation. This allows you to add in additional student supports as needed. For example, if there is not student growth in their comfortability in their research abilities, then it would be very beneficial to implement mini-lessons to support and re-learn needed concepts.

Method - Have students complete the Post-Course Survey on their own time, and leave it anonymous. It is more vital that students are able to provide honest answers to the survey. The goal is to help the overall need of the students through the survey results. Provide students ample time to revise their knowledge artifacts. I generally give students another week's worth of class time to complete their revisions based on their peer feedback. If students did not receive peer feedback, be sure to provide those students with feedback as needed. You can also assign another student (maybe one that did not have as many initial peer reviews to complete) to edit the knowledge artifacts needed. Also provide one last round of feedback to the students' knowledge artifacts after revision as needed. Allow students multiple chances to enhance their knowledge artifacts.