ERIC Number: EJ1232159
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Dec
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1931-7913
EISSN: N/A
Investigating Undergraduate Biology Students' Science Identity Production
Le, Paul T.; Doughty, Leanne; Thompson, Amreen Nasim; Hartley, Laurel M.
CBE - Life Sciences Education, v18 n4 Article 50 Dec 2019
Identity production is a complex process in which a person determines who he or she is via internal dialogue and sociocultural participation. Understanding identity production is important in biology education, because students' identities impact classroom experiences and their willingness to persist in the discipline. Thus, we suggest that educators foster spaces where students can engage in producing science identities that incorporate positive perceptions of who they are and what they have experienced. We used Holland's theory of identity and Urrieta's definitions of conceptual identity production (CIP) and procedural identity production (PIP) to explore the process of students' science identity production. We interviewed 26 students from five sections of a general biology course for majors at one higher education institution. The interview protocol included items about students' identities, influential experiences, perceptions of science, and perceptions of their classroom communities. From the interviews, we developed hierarchical coding schemes that focused on characterizing students' CIP and PIP. Here, we describe how students' socially constructed identities (race, gender, etc.) and their experiences may have impacted the production of their science identities. We found that authoring (i.e., making meaning of) experiences and recognition by others as a community member influenced students' science identity production.
Descriptors: Undergraduate Students, Biology, Self Concept, Student Development, Science Instruction, Student Attitudes, Student Experience, Sense of Community, Introductory Courses, Classroom Environment, Race, Ethnicity, Sexual Identity, Majors (Students), Influences
American Society for Cell Biology. 8120 Woodmont Avenue Suite 750, Bethesda, MD 20814-2762. Tel: 301-347-9300; Fax: 301-347-9310; e-mail: ascbinfo@ascb.org; Website: http://www.ascb.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: 1525115