The ASMCUE 2022 microbrew session I watched tonight was entitled “Measures Taken to Increase Belonging and Retention in a First Semester Majors Biology Course.” Sean Timothy Coleman was the presenter and used a Padlet to share information. Coleman is at a small institution in Iowa. They launched workshops on diversity and inclusion and brought in PULSE! They also did smaller groups by splitting sections into smaller teams using CATME surveys. Coleman explained that they did small group day sessions, six in total, in this multi-section course. Topics they discussed included the Euro-centric view of vaccination. With laboratories, they did course-based research experiences including SEA-PHAGES and Tiny Earth. The department seems to be very small, and they were able to emphasize course-based research experiences and discussions about diversity and inclusion. The department also used peer mentors to offer supplemental instruction. Coleman explained they used survey to evaluate the impact of these efforts and were going to introduce specifications grading. During the question and answer portion of the course, Coleman responded to how they used CATME questions focused on schedules and belonging to analyze midterm group evaluations and promote teamwork. CATME does have a cost associated, and the audience asked if Coleman knew about alternatives. Unfortunately, no one had alternatives to offer. Coleman is going to try using OER in future offerings. The last question was about how Coleman and colleagues are using CATME and other approaches to support students with disabilities. This microbrew was an example of one department can make several relatively small changes to promote collaboration, inclusion, and belonging. The longterm assessment results and retention information will be useful.
