Exploring How Secondary STEM Teachers and Undergraduate Mentors Adapt Digital Technologies to Promote Culturally Relevant Education during COVID-19

The COVID-19 global pandemic presented unprecedented challenges to K-16 educators, including the closing of educational agencies and the abrupt transition to online teaching and learning. Educators sought to adapt in-person learning activities to teach in remote and hybrid online settings. This study explores how a partnership between middle and high school teachers in an urban school district and undergraduate STEM mentors of color leveraged digital tools and collaborative pedagogies to teach science, technology, and engineering during a global pandemic. We used a qualitative multi-case study to describe three cases of teachers and undergraduate mentors. We then offer a cross-case analysis to interpret the diverse ways in which partners used technologies, pedagogy, and content to promote equitable outcomes for students, both in remote and hybrid settings. We found that the partnership and technologies led to rigorous and connected learning for students. Teachers and undergraduates carefully scaffolded technology use and content applications while providing ongoing opportunities for students to receive feedback and reflect on their learning. Findings provide implications for community partnerships and digital tools to promote collaborative and culturally relevant STEM learning opportunities in the post-pandemic era.

Using Technology to Support Culturally Responsive Practices in Post-Secondary Settings

Culturally responsive teaching (CRT) is a research-based method of instruction that centers students' racial, ethnic, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds in the curriculum and pedagogy to ensure equitable outcomes as well as promote critical consciousness related to social injustice. CRT is typically associated with P-12 educational settings; however, the principles and mindsets of culturally responsive education have been applied in post-secondary educational settings. The practices associated with CRT require intentional planning, preparation, and implementation. The abrupt shift to virtual and remote learning required quickly leveraging various technology tools to ensure CRT practices were incorporated into teaching and learning in order to create an equitable and culturally-responsive learning environment.

Trauma and Transgression in Nature-Based Leisure

The following article contains language, including discussion of racialized trauma, violent oppression, and more, that could trigger strong emotions and other physiological reactions. Our intent is not to retraumatize anyone, but to instead center the voices and experiences of people who have transgressed significant historical trauma and long sought lasting change and equitable outcomes for all.

From ‘women’s business’ to ‘men’s business’: Exploring connections between vasectomy acceptance and equitable gender relations in South Tarawa, Kiribati

<p>Engaging men in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) has implications for gender equality and sustainable development. Promoting vasectomy can foster more equitable gender relations between partners, but research on this topic is extremely limited. My research shows that, in Kiribati, vasectomy uptake is both a cause and a consequence of gender equitable relationships, but connections are complex. Vasectomy uptake can also result from, and lead to, inequitable behaviours. Links between vasectomy uptake and gender relations among couples in South Tarawa, Kiribati were explored using a qualitative case study informed by feminist theory and principles from indigenous methodologies. Semi-structured informal interviews were held with five vasectomised I-Kiribati men and their wives, interviewed as a couple and individually. Comparative analysis was undertaken with two same-sex focus group discussions, one with non-vasectomised men and the other with their wives; and with six key informant interviews. Information generated was analysed thematically and further triangulated with international and Kiribati studies. Among the participant-couples, vasectomy decision-making seemed equitable, consistent with other household decision-making. Notably, the wives were actively involved in their husbands’ decision to be vasectomised. Husbands were often prompted by egalitarian concerns. However, vasectomised men are in the minority and challenge gender normative behaviour. Family planning was widely viewed as women’s responsibility. Most participants felt vasectomy created new opportunities that empowered women. Yet, some participants knew of men who used their vasectomies to control their wives’ sexual and reproductive agency, and to enable extramarital relationships. Although vasectomy freed women from contraceptive responsibility, significant shifts in the gender division of labour did not follow, but exceptions existed. This research shows that gender equity is likely to be a pre-condition of vasectomy, and that vasectomy can lead to equitable outcomes. Moreover, gender relations within and among couples were multifaceted and contradictions existed. My research makes a strong case for why heterosexual men should be central to gender and development.</p>

From ‘women’s business’ to ‘men’s business’: Exploring connections between vasectomy acceptance and equitable gender relations in South Tarawa, Kiribati

<p>Engaging men in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) has implications for gender equality and sustainable development. Promoting vasectomy can foster more equitable gender relations between partners, but research on this topic is extremely limited. My research shows that, in Kiribati, vasectomy uptake is both a cause and a consequence of gender equitable relationships, but connections are complex. Vasectomy uptake can also result from, and lead to, inequitable behaviours. Links between vasectomy uptake and gender relations among couples in South Tarawa, Kiribati were explored using a qualitative case study informed by feminist theory and principles from indigenous methodologies. Semi-structured informal interviews were held with five vasectomised I-Kiribati men and their wives, interviewed as a couple and individually. Comparative analysis was undertaken with two same-sex focus group discussions, one with non-vasectomised men and the other with their wives; and with six key informant interviews. Information generated was analysed thematically and further triangulated with international and Kiribati studies. Among the participant-couples, vasectomy decision-making seemed equitable, consistent with other household decision-making. Notably, the wives were actively involved in their husbands’ decision to be vasectomised. Husbands were often prompted by egalitarian concerns. However, vasectomised men are in the minority and challenge gender normative behaviour. Family planning was widely viewed as women’s responsibility. Most participants felt vasectomy created new opportunities that empowered women. Yet, some participants knew of men who used their vasectomies to control their wives’ sexual and reproductive agency, and to enable extramarital relationships. Although vasectomy freed women from contraceptive responsibility, significant shifts in the gender division of labour did not follow, but exceptions existed. This research shows that gender equity is likely to be a pre-condition of vasectomy, and that vasectomy can lead to equitable outcomes. Moreover, gender relations within and among couples were multifaceted and contradictions existed. My research makes a strong case for why heterosexual men should be central to gender and development.</p>

Costing the cold: Connecting fuel poverty & supplier switching in Wellington, New Zealand

<p>Fuel poverty describes the inability of households to afford adequate energy services, such as space heating. In New Zealand, where 25% of households are estimated to be ‘fuel poor’, high electricity prices in a restructured electricity market have an important influence on fuel poverty. However, the ability of the New Zealand Government to regulate these high electricity prices is constrained. Consequently, there is a strong reliance on consumers to switch energy suppliers, which promotes competitive prices and in turn regulates the price of electricity. In contrast to energy efficiency improvements, switching offers fuel poor households a low-cost opportunity to improve the short-term affordability of energy services. Yet, switching is suggested to not benefit fuel poor households who are in most need of affordable energy. This thesis explored the relationship between fuel poverty and supplier switching in Wellington, New Zealand through a geographic lens. First, a new approach to identifying fuel poverty in New Zealand was applied. Using geographic information systems (GIS), a fuel poverty index was calculated to identify fuel poverty in Wellington at meshblock level. Spatial analysis of the index revealed the complexity of identifying fuel poverty and the extent to which the spatial distribution of fuel poverty in Wellington is shaped by the city’s colonial history. The index was then used to identify survey participants through which a survey was conducted exploring Wellington households’ switching behaviours. In a competitive market, consumers are expected to switch according to economically rational behaviours. However, switching behaviours in the survey sample were influenced by factors other than these economically rational behaviours. Integrating the findings of this thesis supports suggestions that switching is not benefiting the fuel poor. Finally, this thesis sheds light on the extent to which an understanding of the geography of fuel poverty can be applied towards improving the effectiveness of policy and equitable outcomes for fuel poor households.</p>

Costing the cold: Connecting fuel poverty & supplier switching in Wellington, New Zealand

<p>Fuel poverty describes the inability of households to afford adequate energy services, such as space heating. In New Zealand, where 25% of households are estimated to be ‘fuel poor’, high electricity prices in a restructured electricity market have an important influence on fuel poverty. However, the ability of the New Zealand Government to regulate these high electricity prices is constrained. Consequently, there is a strong reliance on consumers to switch energy suppliers, which promotes competitive prices and in turn regulates the price of electricity. In contrast to energy efficiency improvements, switching offers fuel poor households a low-cost opportunity to improve the short-term affordability of energy services. Yet, switching is suggested to not benefit fuel poor households who are in most need of affordable energy. This thesis explored the relationship between fuel poverty and supplier switching in Wellington, New Zealand through a geographic lens. First, a new approach to identifying fuel poverty in New Zealand was applied. Using geographic information systems (GIS), a fuel poverty index was calculated to identify fuel poverty in Wellington at meshblock level. Spatial analysis of the index revealed the complexity of identifying fuel poverty and the extent to which the spatial distribution of fuel poverty in Wellington is shaped by the city’s colonial history. The index was then used to identify survey participants through which a survey was conducted exploring Wellington households’ switching behaviours. In a competitive market, consumers are expected to switch according to economically rational behaviours. However, switching behaviours in the survey sample were influenced by factors other than these economically rational behaviours. Integrating the findings of this thesis supports suggestions that switching is not benefiting the fuel poor. Finally, this thesis sheds light on the extent to which an understanding of the geography of fuel poverty can be applied towards improving the effectiveness of policy and equitable outcomes for fuel poor households.</p>

Trade-offs between efficiency, equality, and equity in restoration for flood protection

Conservation decision-makers and practitioners increasingly strive for efficient and equitable outcomes for people and nature. However, environmental management programs commonly benefit some groups of people more than others, and very little is known about how efforts to promote equality (i.e., even distributions) and equity (i.e., proportional distributions) trade-off against efficiency (i.e., total net outcome per dollar spent). Based on a case study in the Brigalow Belt Bioregion, Australia, we quantified trade-offs between equality, equity, and efficiency in planning for flood protection. We considered optimal restoration strategies that allocate a fixed budget (1) evenly among beneficiary sectors (i.e., seeking equality among urban residents, rural communities, and the food sector), (2) evenly among Local Government Areas within the Brigalow Belt (i.e., seeking spatial equality), and (3) preferentially to areas of highest socioeconomic disadvantage (i.e., seeking equity). We assessed equality using the Gini coefficient, and equity using an index of socioeconomic disadvantage. At an AUD10M budget, evenly distributing the budget among beneficiary sectors was 80% less efficient than ignoring beneficiary groups, and did not improve equality in the distribution of flood protection among beneficiary sectors. Evenly distributing the budget among Local Government Areas ensured restoration in four areas that were otherwise ignored, with a modest reduction in efficiency (12-25%). Directing flood protection to areas of highest socioeconomic disadvantage did not result in additional reductions in efficiency, and captured areas of high disadvantage for the rural and urban sectors that were missed otherwise. We show here that different ways of targeting equity and equality lead to quite different trade-offs with efficiency. Our approach can be used to guide transparent negotiations between beneficiaries and other stakeholders involved in a planning process.

What If We Leave It Up to Chance? Admissions Lotteries and Equitable Access at Selective Colleges

Many prominent social scientists have advocated for random-draw lotteries as a solution to the “problem” of elite college admissions. They argue that lotteries will be fair, equitable, eliminate corruption, reduce student anxiety, restore democratic ideals, and end debates over race-conscious admissions. In response, we simulate potential lottery effects on student enrollment by race, gender, and income, using robust simulation methods and multiple minimum thresholds for grades and standardized tests. In the overwhelming majority of lottery simulations, the proportions of low-income students and students of color drop precipitously. With a GPA minimum, we find the proportion of men could drop as low as one third. Admissions lotteries with minimum bars for GPA and/or standardized tests do not appear to produce more equitable outcomes.