Do InTeGrate materials increase scientific understanding among women?Tiffany A. Rivera, Laura Rademacher, Mark Abolins, Christopher Berg, William Hansen, David McConnell,

Elizabeth A. Nagy-Shadman, Darren T. Nelson, Mathieu Richaud

ABSTRACTInTeGrate geoscience teaching materials were developed to link societal challenges to geologic concepts in order to improve Earth literacy in under-graduate students. These curricular products span topics from mineral re-sources to climate change to natural hazards. InTeGrate modules take the form of engaged, student-centered learning opportunities, and can easily be implemented into flipped-style classrooms. The InTeGrate Research Team implemented three modules in a single geoscience course for the Fall 2016 semester, in eight different colleges and universities. Here, we evaluate the impact that these learning materials had on femal students by analyzing pre- and post- course standardized test results (GLE – Geoscience LIteracy Exam) and written responses to modules and summative assessments. We supplement the learning metric data with surveys of attitudinal changes to-wards environmental concerns and the importance of sustainability on both student actions and career aspirations. We compare the resuls to a control group of students that did not receive any InTeGrate materials within their geoscience coursees. Our results can be used to examine if women can in-crease their scientific (and geoscience) literacy due to pedagogical and cur-ricular changes, along with shifting their perspectives regarding the need for sustainability in their lives. By identifying how these changes impact female students, we may be able to narrow the gender gap in STEM fields.

A SEMESTER OF INTEGRATE

RESULTS CONCLUSIONS• Relative to males, females scored lower on the GLE and essay in both InTeGrate and non-InTeGrate semesters.

• After InTeGrate materials, females had higher gains on both the GLE and the interdisciplinary essay question.

• Both males and females were influenced by a geoscience course to take action to create a more environmentally sustainable society. However, more females were motivated (relative to males) to do so after participating in a course with InTeGrate materials.

• Males and females are influenced by the same factors and to the same degree to make decisions to achieve an environmentally sustainable society.

• After InTeGrate materials, females are more likely than males to make decisions based on the influence by friends and family.

• We conclude that InTeGrate materials benefit females in their geo-scientific understanding, increase their motivation to take action to create an environmentally sustainable society, and consider their social circles as one of their greatest influences in their decision making.

• Future development of InTeGrate materials should consider activities that include friends and family beyond the classroom to further engage female students with the geosciences.

Fall 2015 “Control Group”• No InTeGrate materials used• Students with paired GLE, essay, and IAI data

Experimental Design

• Eight faculty at 2-yr and 4-yr institutions across the US.

• Faculy teach a combination of physical geolo-gy, earth science, and environmental science courses.

• Implement three modules of InTeGrate materi-als, or 6-9 weeks of InTeGrate materials.

• Administer IAI (InTeGrate Attitudinal Instrument)• Administer pre and post course GLE• Administer 2 essays (systems thinking and in-terdisciplinary)

• Evaluate the materials and the impact upon the students.

Fall 2016 “Treatment Group”• InTeGrate materials used• Students with paired GLE, essay, and IAI data

Earth Science

46

72

Environmental Science

4

9malefemale

Physical Geology

39

67

Earth Science

39

35

Environmental Science

8

15malefemale

Physical Geology

31

53

Fall 2015 “Control Group”

Fall 2016 “Treatment Group”

Average Averagefemale

Averagemale

10

11

12

13

14

15

GLE postGLE pre

n = 240 n = 148 n = 89

Scor

e

norm Δ0.12 ±�0.23

norm Δ0.11 ±�0.22

norm Δ0.16 ±�0.25

GLE Results

Average Averagefemale

Averagemale

10

11

12

13

14

15

GLE postGLE pre

n = 181 n = 103 n = 78

Scor

e

norm Δ0.15 ±�0.23

norm Δ0.15 ±�0.21

norm Δ0.14 ±�0.25

GLE Results

Female students are learning in introducto-ry geology courses (13% improvement), but GLE results do notimprove as strongly as the results of male students (14% improvement).

After InTeGrate materials, GLE scores of female students improve compared to courses without InTeGrate (19% improvement), and score differ-ence between males and females decreases.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThis project was funded throught the InTeGrate program, with support from the National Science Foundation, and relied heavily on the participation of hundreds of students. The authors would like to thank these students for their willingness to participate in this research project, even when the instrucotrs were uncertain about how activities were to be completed.

Essay Results

Average Averagefemale

Averagemale

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Interdisci-plinarySystemsthinking

n = 73 n = 47 n = 26

Scor

e

Total

Males and females performed about the same on the systems thinking question, but males performed better on the interdisciplinary question.

Average Averagefemale

Averagemale

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Interdisci-plinarySystemsthinking

n = 157 n = 94 n = 63

Scor

e

Total

Essay Results

After InTeGrate materials, female student scores on the interdisciplinary question improved to match that of male students. However, average scores for female students were still lower than those of male students.

Beforecourse

Aftercourse

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

MalesFemales

n = 175

# R

espo

nses

% Differencemales = 46%% Difference

females = 47%

Beforecourse

Aftercourse

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Males

Females

n = 179

# R

espo

nses

% Differencemales = 42%% Difference

females = 51%

Degree of motivation to take action to create a more environmentally sustainable society.

Degree of motivation to take action to create a more environmentally sustainable society.

An equal number of males and females gained motivation for taking action in personal life and career towards a more sustainable society.

After InTeGrate materials, there was an increase in the number of females who were motivated to take action in personal life and career towards a more sustainable society.

Savemoney

Family0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Males

Females

n = 177

# R

espo

nses

Friends/peers

Thiscourse

Savemoney

Family0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Males

Females

n = 180

# R

espo

nses

Friends/peers

Thiscourse

Factors or sources that influence student’s decision to perform environmentally sustainable actions.

Factors or sources that influence student’s decision to perform environmentally sustainable actions.

Males and females generally influenced by the same factors to the same degree when deciding on environmentally sustainable decisions, with saving money as the largest driver.

Although saving money remains high, females were more likely to be influenced by friends and family when deciding to perform sustainable actions. The geoscience course with InTeGrate also had a greater positive impact on sustainable decisions relative to the control semester for both males and females.