Life Sciences & SMERC Seminar: Biases and Partnerships - Learning from Student Social Networks
Life Sciences & SMERC Seminar
Biases and Partnerships: Learning from Student Social Networks
Dr. Dan Grunspan
Assistant Professor
Department of Integrative Biology
University of Guelph
Abstract:
Large undergraduate classrooms are often the size of a small village. With high student-to-faculty ratios, these classrooms elevate the importance of relationships and interactions that exist between students, including who they study with and perceive as strong in class material. Using social network analysis with data from 1,700 students across three introductory biology classes, Dr. Grunspan will present how peer interactions evolve over the course of a semester. Results indicate that who students study with primarily depends on course structure and shared identities between peers, while who students perceive as strong in the class material follows a strong gender bias.
Speaker Bio:
Dr. Grunspan is an Assistant Professor in Integrative Biology at the University of Guelph. As a Discipline-Based Education Researcher, he applies tools and perspectives from social network analysis to understand different aspects of postsecondary education, including undergraduate experiences and faculty teaching decisions. Prior to joining the University of Guelph, he was a post-doctoral scholar in the Center for Evolution and Medicine at Arizona State University. He earned his Ph.D. in Biocultural Anthropology from the University of Washington and a BS from Texas A&M University.
Intended Audience:
Beginners, undergraduates, graduates. Those with interest in the topic.
To request an interpreter, please visit myaccess.rit.edu
Event Snapshot
When and Where
Who
Open to the Public
Interpreter Requested?
No