Student-authored websites of biologists marginalized in history are associated with students' awareness of equity, diversity, and inclusion.

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Bibliographic Details
Title:	Student-authored websites of biologists marginalized in history are associated with students' awareness of equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Authors:	McIntosh, Anne C. S.¹, Kublik, Jocelyn¹, Moreira, Beatriz¹, Haave, Neil¹ nhaave@ualberta.ca
Source:	Bioscene. Dec2025, Vol. 51, p3-12. 10p.
Subject Terms:	Diversity & inclusion policies, Student assignments, Students, Biology education, History of biology
Abstract:	As a discipline, biology has historically had low diversity in representation among its members. To combat this, we have implemented a team website assignment in our biology capstone course that prompted students to research a biologist who was marginalized during their career. The broader purpose of this nontraditional capstone course, which focuses on the history and theory of biology, is for students to integrate their biology education with other ideas and concepts they have learned on our liberal arts and sciences campus, along with their understanding of the world. The objective of the website assignment is to provide students with the opportunity to explore a scientist who made important contributions to biology, but who was not broadly recognized for these contributions at the time. Beyond spotlighting the biologist, a broader assignment goal is to develop students' awareness and understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Twelve students from the Winter 2022 class were recruited and interviewed to assess whether the assignment achieved its broader goal. Our findings suggest that students responded positively to the assignment and that their understanding of EDI developed. Given the recent attacks on EDI, it is even more important that we intentionally integrate it into our classrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database:	Education Research Complete

Description
Abstract:	As a discipline, biology has historically had low diversity in representation among its members. To combat this, we have implemented a team website assignment in our biology capstone course that prompted students to research a biologist who was marginalized during their career. The broader purpose of this nontraditional capstone course, which focuses on the history and theory of biology, is for students to integrate their biology education with other ideas and concepts they have learned on our liberal arts and sciences campus, along with their understanding of the world. The objective of the website assignment is to provide students with the opportunity to explore a scientist who made important contributions to biology, but who was not broadly recognized for these contributions at the time. Beyond spotlighting the biologist, a broader assignment goal is to develop students' awareness and understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Twelve students from the Winter 2022 class were recruited and interviewed to assess whether the assignment achieved its broader goal. Our findings suggest that students responded positively to the assignment and that their understanding of EDI developed. Given the recent attacks on EDI, it is even more important that we intentionally integrate it into our classrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:	15392422