Promoting Cultural Capitals and Self‐Determination Through Reflective Journaling in First‐Year Biology Labs

Abstract

First‐year biology students have preconceived notions of what it’s like studying biology. However, these dominant narratives can hinder students’ success and their pathway into the STEM field. Here we had students use reflective journaling as a form of counter‐narrative, informed by the Alma Project that aims to increase students’ persistence and sense of belonging in STEM. In the intervention, students enrolled in a first‐year biology laboratory were asked to do journalling for five minutes four times during the semester, to reflect on their personal experiences. Then, students spent another five minutes “sharing their stories” with their lab group and peers. Analysis of reflective essays, informed by the Community Cultural Wealth framework, identified 11 cultural capitals utilized by first‐year biology students: aspirational, attainment, community consciousness, familial, filial, first‐generation, navigational, perseverance, resistant, social, and spiritual. Moreover, preliminary data suggest that reflective journaling may also allow expression of students’ self‐determination. With these implementations, biology students engaged in meaningful reflections that identified their cultural wealth which may help them stay focused on their path to a STEM degree.