Abstract
We report on seven years of attitudinal data using the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey from University Modeling Instruction (UMI) sections of introductory physics at Florida International University. This work expands upon previous studies that reported consistently positive attitude shifts in UMI courses; here, we disaggregate the data by gender and ethnicity to look for any disparities in the pattern of favorable shifts. We find that women and students from statistically underrepresented ethnic groups are equally supported on this attitudinal measure, and that this result holds even when interaction effects of gender and ethnicity are included. We conclude with suggestions for future work in UMI courses and for attitudinal equity investigations generally.
Highlights
The University Modeling Instruction curriculum (UMI; [1]) developed and studied at Florida International University (FIU) has produced an uncommon pattern of consistently positive shifts in student attitudes toward physics [2]
We look for pretest, post-test, and shift differences between students who are statistically well- or overrepresented in physics and those who belong to statistically underrepresented groups
Results vary on whether these gaps persist in reform-based classes, where various features of the learning environment might be expected to support traditionally marginalized students
Summary
The University Modeling Instruction curriculum (UMI; [1]) developed and studied at Florida International University (FIU) has produced an uncommon pattern of consistently positive shifts in student attitudes toward physics [2]. Education researchers must be cautious of overgeneralizing results, and one such overreach is to claim that a benefit is received by all students when it only accrues to those from majority groups. Gutiérrez argues that gap analyses often implicitly reinforce a deficit model in which students’ differences are presumed to be the result of inadequacies in preparation, skill, or ability. She argues, this frames students from different backgrounds in opposition with one another. Following on Lubienski, we feel that it is not just valuable but essential for teachers and curriculum developers to question whether the benefits of instruction are distributed equitably among statistically underrepresented and majority student groups
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