Author: Odeica (Page 1 of 13)

Odeica Duke ‘

Professor Lisa Cole

English 1101 Composition 1

16^th May 2022

Final Portfolio

Revision Paragraph for Unit 1: Though there were small errors and mistakes in my Unit 1 assignment, I still choose not to revise it. Whenever I receive a grade for an assignment that I was satisfied with, the thought of revision never crosses my mind. And that is what happened with this assignment. The few errors entailed things like sentence fragments, missing punctuation, lowercase title, and comma splices. If I had revised my Unit 1, some of the things I would have incorporated from the feedback I got were making sure the title was uppercased and fixing the grammar and punctuation. However, the overall feedback I got for my Unit 1 assignment was very helpful. The feedback also highlighted the positive aspect of my Unit 1 which was very reassuring.

Unit 1: Education Narrative

School was not for me until I was finally heard.

Dating back to my earliest memory of education, I have always felt that school was never for me. I have always felt a disconnect between me and school. Do not get me wrong, I liked learning, it was the teachers, rules, and hierarchy I disliked. Much like Olivarez, most of my teachers taught via the banking method. We, the students, were just expected to take in as much information as we could and never question authority. Most days, a debate or misunderstanding would erupt between me and my teachers. Which started because I would calmly voice my opinions, as I would put it, that were viewed as disrespect. Shutting up and being a human educational sponge was something I could never do. Learning was exceedingly difficult, but it was something I had to do, especially since education was an exaggeratedly important part of my household.

School was a battlefield. Every day going into school I had this mindset that it was either going to be me or the teachers. And of course, I chose myself. However, this always resulted in a conflict since I was not going to betray my morals and upbringing just to make some teacher happy. Constantly bickering with the teacher made my school life incredibly stressful and hard which in turn harmed my grade. Like my grades were terrible, I knew that I could have done better but when situations are designed for you to fail there is little to no chance of success. One time while in my home economics class, my teacher was grading the work she gave us during class, it was near the end of class, and I was the last person in the line. So, it is my turn, I walk up to her desk in the front of the class, place my book on the table then proceed to put my hands on my hips and talk to my friends. She then told me to move my hands, which I did. A few minutes later my hands were on my hips again and I was doing it subconsciously. She then started to raise her voice and I did the same in return. Soon after a screaming match erupted that was loud enough for the whole class to hear, but not to disturb the other classes on the floor. The whole thing turned into a big situation to the point where she stopped calling my name when taking attendance and refused to acknowledge my existence. This did not bother me because we did not get along before the incident and her leaving me alone was a plus. As for my attendance, I did not mind that either because I knew I was going to school, and I knew that she was the one that was not doing her job. This was soon resolved after a long and honest conversation. This conversation evoked something in me, it had me thinking since it was the first time, I had witnessed a teacher apologize for their wrongdoing. It was a beacon of hope as it was around the time my perspective on school started to change and that one conversation was the main reason. My perspective was not the only thing that changed after that conversation, my relationship with my teacher took a positive turn.

However, this new perspective was about to be a major part of my “new life.” Life in the Caribbean was an extremely distinct experience from the life I have now in the U.S in every aspect ranging from school to home. I moved to the United States a few months after to begin the journey of my “new life.” Within a few days, I was ready for my first day of High School. There are no words to express the lack of hope, enthusiasm, and motivation I felt about having to go to school again. As I thought it was going to be a repetition of what I have always experienced. On my first day of high school, I remember being nervous and just saddened at the fact that I would finish high school without being allowed the chance to truly express myself. Even though my perspective had changed there was still a voice in the back of my head constantly reminding me of all the dreadful things that I had faced in my school life so far. With all that I was facing in school, the weather made it worse. Having to leave the comfort of one’s warm and cozy house to battle the freezing weather outside was something I was not prepared for. One would think that when leaving the comfort of their home to travel in the cold to get to school. The polite thing the school could do is make sure the heaters are working but it was not. The classrooms were as cold as outside and still some students were asking the teacher to open the windows. The weather and school took a while to get used to.

My English class was the only class that terribly excited me. On a regular Friday afternoon, I vividly remember being overly excited for my 7th period English class (not because it was my last class of the day or week.) I was genuinely excited to be in the class since we were assigned an essay where we had to write about our views on a specific historical event of our choice that we connected with. Her assignments were easy, but you had to deeply think about the prompt and write what is in your heart, and that was something I have always wanted to do but never really got the chance to. The most efficient way I express myself is through writing, so having to write about something that I am passionate about has restored my faith in school. To top it off, my English teacher, Ms. Juarez, was genuinely nice, understanding, and motivating. She treated every student as if they were her child. Ms. Juarez, along with my old teacher, changed my perspective on school and how one should learn. The classwork she assigned and the conversations we had challenged me to think outside my norms which broadened my perspective.

It is not a secret the American school system differs from those in other countries. While in a Caribbean high school education and learning were solely based on retaining as much information as you could. The Caribbean educational environment is a place the teachers taught, and the students learned, no in-between. The chance to voice one’s opinion or question the abuse of authority was never allowed. However, American high school eluded a safe space where everyone was a student no matter the title they held. Teachers often asked the students their opinion on events that may have affected them in some way. Teachers knew they do not know everything there is in the world. To them, this is an advantage, coming into the classroom they know students had different experiences and knowledge. Creating a place where every student felt heard was more important than retaining information since everyone has their unique style of learning.

Revision Paragraph for Unit 2: If you read my reason for not revising Unit 1 then you’ll know why I did not revise Unit 2, good grades equal no revision. I have this tendency of putting work on the back burner once I have submitted it never looking back. And that is what I did with Unit 2. The only time I reopen that assignment after I submitted it was to check what grade I got. Once again, the feedback I got for Unit 2 was minor mistakes like grammatical errors, sentence fragments, missing punctuation, and comma splices. If I had revised my Unit 2, some of the things I would have incorporated from the feedback I got were making sure the title was uppercased and fixing the grammar and punctuation.

Unit 2: Reflective Annotated Bibliography

How has lack of representation for people of color contributed to the racial and gender gap within the STEM Fields?

Representation does not only affect how we see ourselves and others, but it also influences how we look at our future and the possibilities that await us. As early as I could remember I have always had this burning desire to find out everything and anything there is to know about outer space. Hearing this one would think that my dream job was to become an astronaut but that was not the case for me. Even though I did not want to go to space I still wanted something to do with it, so when I found out about Aerospace Engineering I was really intrigued. I remember I would watch every movie and video, read every book, and article and even look at pictures anything just to learn more about outer space. As I got older, I slowly started to lose interest in outer space, and I always thought that it was because I was exploring new things and it was just another interest that did not age well with time. However, now looking back with a more worldly and mature perspective, I realize that my sudden disinterest in the thing that made my heart skip several beats even when I was simply thinking about it, was caused by not seeing people who looked like me portrayed in the media. Lupita once said “Until I saw people who looked like me, I was not so sure [being an actress] was a possibility. My exact feeling as a kid but her actress is my Aerospace Engineer. When I started to notice that nearly all Aerospace engineers that I saw growing up did not look like me, this negatively impacted my self-esteem and self-worth making me feel inferior because of how I looked. For years, I look at life and my future with implicit bias, I would always limit my self-expectations and to fit what I thought was expected of me in the eyes of society.

However, with new experiences and surrounding myself with people who challenged my perspective, I slowly started to realize that I was so much more than my skin color. My newfound perspective evoked some burning questions that I needed to answer in order to give my childhood dreams a fair chance. I have always wondered what my life would be like if I was exposed to Aerospace Engineers who looked like me hence my research question “How has lack of representation for people of color contributed to the racial and gender gap within the STEM fields?” Other than wanting to know what role proper representation would play in bridging the racial and gender gap within the STEM fields. I also would like to know what contributed to the racial and gender gap within the STEM fields and what we as people of color and the government can do to ensure that everyone who wishes to enter any STEM field is provided with equal opportunities and has proper representation. Moreover, I am not opposed to finding a perspective or information that completely goes against what I expect to find during my research. Finding opposing information would not only make me more intrigued but it would also put things into perspective for me. Finding the root of the problem at hand is more important than proving a point. So, if opposing information leads to finding the truth and solving the problem, I will welcome it with open arms.

Riegle, Catherine, and Morton, Karisma “Gender Expectations: Examining How Peers Shape Female Students’ Intent to Pursue STEM Fields” | Front. Psychol., 15 March 2017 |  https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00329

We as humans use the success of others who look like us as a mirror that reflects how successful we ourselves can be. So, if we do not see people who look like us achieving the things we want to accomplish, we feel as though that somehow reflects the possibilities our future holds and the ability to achieve our dreams outside of societal norms, ultimately deeming success pass what we have experienced and seen impossible. Catherine Riegle is a sociology professor at the University of Texas whose research is focused on the educational inequalities that stem from the complex intersection between gender and race/ethnicity. Karisma Morton is an Assistant professor of Mathematics Education also at the University of Texas whose research explores the inequalities people of color faces in mathematics education while specifically examining the roles gender and race/ethnicity, as well as their intersection, plays in said inequalities. The article “Gender Expectations: Examining How Peers Shape Female Students’ Intent to Pursue STEM Fields” builds on prior psychological and sociological research that examines the environmental effects that shape the gendered outcomes in STEM Fields. This study explores the negative and positive impact exclusionary and inclusionary messages from peers have on adolescent girls. A controlled experiment was used to directly determine the effects biased in-class interactions have on adolescent girls who are interested in science and engineering and how those biases affect their decision to pursue a career that aligns with their interests. “Specifically, utilizing longitudinal data from a diverse sample of adolescent youth, analyses examine how the presence of biased male peers, as well as confident female peers, shape girls’ subsequent intentions to pursue different STEM fields, focusing specifically on intentions to pursue the male-dominated fields of computer science and engineering, as well as more gender equitable fields.” Environmental effects play a significant role in adolescent girls’ lives as it directly influences whether they decide to further pursue an education in science or engineering or not. Upon further study of the gender expectations of females when it comes to choosing a gender-appropriate career revealed that “Research reveals that educational and occupational aspirations began to crystallize around early adolescence, coinciding with the increasing saliency of gender identity and gender roles in young people’s lives. As they actively contemplate their possible futures, young people are subject to a multitude of messages from those around them regarding what is appropriate and expected for their gender.” In other words, “Put simply, in the locations where girls and young women conduct their daily lives, they encounter a host of experiences and interactions with others who expect them to think and behave in ways that are consistent with prevailing societal gender norms and stereotypes. Yet at the same time, local environments offer the potential for the disruption of inequality and the creation of alternative constructions of gender. For example, if they are populated by individuals who do not endorse traditional norms and beliefs, local contexts can create opportunities for interactions and experiences that push back against larger social norms and paradigms.” Adolescent girls are most likely to lean towards a path that is more gender accepting than to follow their passion and pursue a career that disagrees with their traditional norms and beliefs. The study concluded that “Exposure to a higher percentage of 8th grade male peers in the classroom who endorsed explicit gender/STEM stereotypes significantly and negatively predicted girls’ later intentions to pursue a computer science/engineering (CS/E) major. Yet results also reveal that exposure to a higher percentage of confident female peers in the science classroom positively predicted such intentions.” In an environment where young girls are stereotyped for their interest in science and engineering, they tend to shy off and choose a career that is gender appropriate in the eyes of society. However, when young girls are placed in an environment where their interests are supported, they tend to pursue the career that they want.

Gender norms and societal expectations are major influences that affect our career choice. Thinking that my curiosity in outer space and dreams of becoming an Aerospace engineer was just something I grew out of was very childish if me. Reflecting on my middle school days, I have realized now that the classroom was never really a place where I could truly express myself. I have always been fond of science and engineering but in the class, I would often shy off and let the boy lead the discussion because of the societal norms that I blindly followed. The article states “Research reveals that educational and occupational aspirations began to crystallize around early adolescence, coinciding with the increasing saliency of gender identity and gender roles in young people’s lives. As they actively contemplate their possible futures, young people are subject to a multitude of messages from those around them regarding what is appropriate and expected for their gender.” Growing up I did not see anyone who looked like me both as a female and an African American represented as Aerospace Engineers. I would usually see white men and my young and gullible self, thought that it was a job only for men since that was what I was exposed to in most movies, books, and photos. Kids are most like to lean toward gender-safe careers because of societal norms and fear of being an outcast. On top of lack of proper representation, gender expectations were another reason my interest in Aerospace Engineering subsided. Gender expectations and societal norms influence our lives in many ways, some we are not aware of.

Overall, the article was very direct and highly informative. The authors articulate their ideas well and the points they were trying to convey to their audience were clear. The ideas of exclusionary and inclusionary messages highlighted the impact that inclusive environments can have on a child’s future career. The purpose of the article is to shine a light on the effects of lack of representation, gender expectations, and exclusive environment can have on a child and their future. In my opinion, the article and its information are very credible since the authors are experts in the field that the article focuses on.

“Yet at the same time, it is possible that some local contexts serve to disrupt these larger gender stereotypes. In this vein, some psychological research has recently moved to empirically examine the power of peers and role models to counter-act stereotypes and provide alternative depictions of females’ strength and belonging in STEM fields.”

“While research in this area has called critical attention to how proximate exposure to bias and stereotypes can negatively impact females’ STEM-related outcomes, nevertheless it is important to point out the results of such experiments may not necessarily translate outside these highly controlled settings.”

“For example, if they are populated by individuals who do not endorse traditional norms and beliefs, local contexts can create opportunities for interactions and experiences that push back against larger social norms and paradigms.”

“Gender theorists and scholars argue that gender is a social construction, one that is created and reinforced across various levels, including the macro-level of institutions as well as the micro-level of the local environments that individuals inhabit”

Dutra, Prasha. “Why do so many women leave their careers in STEM?” | TEDxWilsonPark | TEDx Talks, YouTube 21 October 2021

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA08vfoZAJY

Prasha Dutra a TEDx speaker and award-winning podcaster advocates for gender equality in STEM. She uses her platform to bring awareness to the dire need for gender diversity in STEM while not just simply highlighting the lack of diversity but providing long last solution that could solve the gender gap in STEM in years to come. In her speech “Why do so many women leave their career in STEM?” Dutra opens with the question “How do we get more girls in STEM?” she then states, “IF you search girls in STEM on Google, you’ll get 450 million hits, and this clearly shows our obsession with getting more girls in STEM.” It is a well-known fact that White, Asian, and Indian males dominate STEM. Dutra states “Currently, only 28 percent of women contribute to the workforce in the U.S.” So, getting more girls in STEM would be a fast and efficient way to diversify the workforce in terms of gender. One would think that this is a definite way to bridge the gender gap that has been widening over the years in STEM. However, the dire for more women in STEM is at an all-time high since more women are leaving their STEM careers after Five years. Dutra describes the gender diversity in the STEM workforce as a “leaking bucket” since “forty% of women are leaving STEM jobs in just five years of starting.” So now getting more girls into STEM is not our only problem. We now must figure out what is causing the few women we have in STEM careers to leave just after five years of starting. Also, how do we prevent the women who already have STEM careers from leaving? Representation does not always have to come from outside the home or one’s community. Having supportive people around you can influence one’s ability to look at their future self and decide what is possible from their perspective. Dutra states “If us women want to succeed in STEM the secret is to find relatable role models.” It is one thing to strive for the best but setting unachievable goals with little time to achieve set goals only sets you up for failure. Moreover, Dutra shared her personal experience while working as a Mechanical Engineer for a manufacturing company. After working three to four years in her STEM career she felt lost as though she had accomplished as there was to accomplish for a female in STEM. Much like many other females in STEM, Dutra saw no future for herself due to  lack of proper representation. Dutra shares one of the reasons she decided to continue her STEM career. She states “By diversifying the pool of role models for myself, I was able to find a solid reason to stay in STEM… If us women want to succeed in STEM, we also need to look at the 28% of women who have stayed in these professions, understand why they have stayed and how they define success.” Finding someone to who you can relate on a personal and professional level is the best way to choose a role model. She ended her speech with a message to her audience on how to choose perfect role models in STEM. Dutra states, “All you need to do is qualify potential role models and people in your existing circles based on three simple criteria.” Step one “Connect with women who are just two or three steps ahead of you” She then states, “One of the biggest mistakes people make while looking for role models is that they directly look up to the CEOs and it can feel unrelatable and overwhelming.” Observing the journeys of women in STEM who are just a few steps ahead of you will help you find the motivation that will keep you in your STEM career and give you a sense of belonging in your career. Step two is “Search for the struggles. This is where the magic happens people who share the same struggles as us can really show us what is possible beyond those struggles, and they can give us real insight on how to overcome them.” A common struggle for women in STEM is how to navigate the STEM Field. Sharing struggles is a hands-on way to motivate women in STEM who are currently facing the same problems as it gives them some insight on how to overcome said struggles despite their personal and educational achievements. By sharing common struggles women in STEM can not only face but overcome adversity.  Step three “Focus on the details. What kills the search for a perfect role model is trying to find someone in your profession or your industry. The real trick is to break those roles and look beyond, look for the commonalities creatively. It is all in the details but what matters is what detail you focus on.” An important part of finding a suitable role model is to find someone who you connect with not only on a professional level but also on a personal level. Finding someone to connect with outside of work who shares your interest creates a special bond that could help you stay motivated and driven. Dutra’s steps on how to choose a perfect role model will not only influence young girls to pursue a career in STEM but also serve as motivation to the women who are currently in STEM careers to continue to pursue their intended careers while climbing the ladder of success. This leads to a more gender-diverse workforce in STEM.

Prior to my research, I know that there was an impending need for gender diversity in STEM which my simple solution was to get more girls interested in STEM but seeing that 40% of women are leaving their STEM careers just after five years, requires a completely new solution. So, getting more girls in STEM while the few women we currently have in STEM careers are leaving widens the gender gap in STEM even more hence Dutra’s “leaking bucket” analogy. Now we must not only figure out the declining cause of women leaving their STEM careers but how to solve said problem. I strongly agree with Dutra’s ideas on how to prevent women in STEM from leaving their jobs. Dutra’s solution is to find suitable role models, she states, “If us women want to succeed in STEM the secret is to find relatable role models.” Most often when finding role models, we immediately look up to the boss which can be very overwhelming and depressing since as humans our innate instinct is to be the best and this is done by comparing ourselves to others. As we compare ourselves to those who are greatly ahead of us does not only make our accomplishments seem inferior but also leads to self-doubts. Do not get me wrong, looking up to someone who is a CEO urges us to work hard and strive for the best but when faced with struggles that keep knocking you down, seeing others succeed while you are not can be unmotivating. Finding the perfect role model does not always require a professional relationship but it does need a personal one. Where you can share your doubts, struggles, hopes, and dreams in a safe space with someone who is just a few steps ahead of you. Connecting with someone who is just a few steps ahead of you is a good way to find motivation since they are more likely to be struggling with the same thing you are or just overcome the thing you are currently struggling with. Lastly, as more women continue to find inspiration within and outside of their profession, they are more inclined to continue to pursue their careers while moving up the success ladder.

Dutra’s speech was extremely relatable yet insightful. For her video to be under 10 minutes and yet so informative is impressive. The points made throughout her Ted Talk were very clear and well-articulated.  During her speech, she used relevant statistics and data to directly show her audience the dire need for gender diversity in STEM. Sharing various personal stories and struggles that she faced made her speech extremely relatable which builds a personal connection between Dutra and her intended audience. She did not merely state the struggles she faced but she provides strong solutions to said problems which could possibly serve as motivation to women who are currently going through something similar. However, in my opinion, Dutra herself and the information expressed in her speech is credible since she is an award-winning podcaster whose work is well known, and the information, she provided in her is easily backed by Google or a simple internet search. The purpose of Dutra’s speech is to not only shine light on the impending need for gender diversity in STEM but also to promote the effect of having suitable role models as it would lead to more women staying in their STEM careers.

“Find people who can show us no dream is too big but in a more relatable way, who can tell us that STEM does not define us, but we define STEM.”

“By diversifying the pool of role models for myself, I was able to find a solid reason to stay in STEM… If us women want to succeed in STEM, we also need to look at the 28% of women who have stayed in these professions, understand why they have stayed and how they define success.”

“One of the biggest mistakes people make while looking for role models is that they directly look up to the CEOs and it can feel unrelatable and overwhelming.”

Engineering Emergency: African Americans and Hispanics Lack Pathways to Engineering. Vital Signs: Reports on the Condition of STEM Learning in the U.S. (2014). In Change the Equation. Change the Equation.

In 2010, former President Obama launched the “Change the Equation” initiative to dramatically improve education in STEM as part of his “Educate to Innovate” campaign. Change the Equation is a nonprofit organization whose main purpose is to enhance and mobilize the business community which in return will improve the quality of STEM education in the U.S. The report “Engineering Emergency: African Americans and Hispanics Lack Pathways to Engineering” highlights some of the roots caused for racial inequality in STEM while providing adequate solutions through proper education and representation for people of color. The report begins by emphasizing how difficult it is for people of color to access quality education which is a vital foundation for a successful future. Change the Equation states, “Fifty years after Lyndon Johnson declared war on poverty, millions of Americans still lack opportunities to join the middle class. A quality education that leads to good jobs offers a reliable pathway to economic security, yet the first step on that pathway remains inaccessible to far too many Americans, especially Americans of color.” It is no secret that quality education sets one up not only for a successful professionally but also personally. However, quality education is still inaccessible for people of color which puts them at a disadvantage when it comes to securing a good job no matter their intended field and living a life poverty-free. While analyzing the salaries and job availability for people with engineering bachelor’s degrees, Change the Equation found that “Nowhere is this inequity more apparent than in engineering. On average, people with engineering bachelor’s degrees earn higher salaries than people with bachelor’s degrees in any other field, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 690,000 engineering job openings by 2022. New CTEq analysis of U.S. Department of Education data finds that African Americans and Hispanics remain much less likely than white Americans to reap these rewards, presenting both a moral and an economic crisis. This disparity deepens income inequality in the U.S. while leaving untapped the creative potential of millions of Americans.” Knowing that people with engineering bachelor’s degrees earn higher salaries than people with bachelor’s degrees in other fields and have enormous amounts of job openings, one would think that race would not affect people who have successfully acquired a bachelor’s degree in engineering. But that is not the case people of color with engineering bachelor’s degrees are less likely to get a job with a good salary or even one within their intended engineering field. Moreover, the Change the Equation initiative does not only highlight the inequalities people of color face throughout their educational and professional life. The report states, “We cannot address these inequities through college programs alone. Instead, we must strengthen the pipeline to engineering and other STEM fields in our elementary and secondary schools by setting high academic expectations for all students while greatly expanding minorities’ access to advanced STEM learning opportunities.” College is not the only way to bridge the racial gap within the STEM education system. A way to close the racial gap is by setting high academic standards and expectations for all students and providing access to advance STEM learning opportunities for people of color throughout elementary and secondary schools. Change the Equation examines the percentage of people of color who acquired engineering degrees and certificates. The report states, “African Americans and Hispanics comprise a third of the college-aged population, yet together they earn less than 16 percent of all engineering degrees and certificates. Though their college-aged population has grown since 2001, their share of degrees and certificates remained mostly flat.”  So now getting more people of color in STEM but also providing sufficient educational resources for them to obtain a college degree in their engineering field.

Providing minorities and people of color with sufficient educational resources to fund their engineering career path is a sure way to racially diversify STEM.  Creating equal educational opportunities for people of color is one thing but getting them interested and motivated to excel in a STEM Field is another thing. So, I agree with the solution “we must strengthen the pipeline to engineering and other STEM fields in our elementary and secondary schools by setting high academic expectations for all students while greatly expanding minorities’ access to advanced STEM learning opportunities.” Providing educational opportunities where people of color excel will motivate them to continue their STEM career path to the college level and beyond thus bridging the racial gap in STEM.

The information provided by the Change the Equation is very insightful and direct. The report highlighted the inequalities people of color face in the educational system. The use of data and statistics made the report more credible. The purpose of the report is not only to shine light on the dire need for racial equality in STEM but also to promote the positive effects of equal educational opportunities for minorities and people of color as it would lead to the continuous closing or shrinking of the racial gap in STEM. The Change the Equation organization is very credible since it was launched by a former President and the work they have done for minorities and people of color is easily accessible via a simple Google search.

“A quality education that leads to good jobs offers a reliable pathway to economic security, yet the first step on that pathway remains inaccessible to far too many Americans, especially Americans of color.”

“Department of Education data finds that African Americans and Hispanics remain much less likely than white Americans to reap these rewards, presenting both a moral and an economic crisis. This disparity deepens income inequality in the U.S. while leaving untapped the creative potential of millions of Americans.”

“We cannot address these inequities through college programs alone. Instead, we must strengthen the pipeline to engineering and other STEM fields in our elementary and secondary schools by setting high academic expectations for all students while greatly expanding minorities’ access to advanced STEM learning opportunities.”

Representation affects our perspectives and the ability to envision our future selves in said perspective. So, if we are not properly represented, we do not see ourselves achieving much since there are not lots of people who look like us accomplishing the thing we hope to achieve.  My research proved to be very perceptive and worthwhile, I learned so much new information and expanded on the ideas I had prior. While researching the effects lack of representation has on the racial and gender gap within STEM, I found that young girls lose interest in STEM from as early as grade school. In classrooms, young girls are more likely to be excluded from STEM activities because is do not align with their gender role in the eyes of society. As a result, young girls lose their initial interest in STEM then as they enter the workforce, they are inclined to choose a more gender-appropriate job within their gender expectations. However, when young girls are placed in an environment that includes them, they are more likely to choose a career that aligns with their initial STEM interests. Second, I found that getting more girls into STEM is not the only way to bridge the gender gap in STEM but also getting the women who currently have STEM careers to stay and excel in said careers. Lastly, I found that in order to bridge the racial gap within STEM we need to create equal educational opportunities for minorities and people of color from elementary to secondary schools while focusing on expanding minorities’ access to advanced STEM learning opportunities. Something that surprised me during my research was that 40% of women are leaving their STEM careers just after five years. Prior to my research I know there was a major gender gap in STEM and my solution to said problems was to get more girls in STEM so they can fill the gap but that is not the case. Since more girls are entering STEM more women who currently have STEM careers are leaving at a rapid rate which does nothing for the gender gap.

The information I acquired during my research is important because it not only highlights the impending need for gender and racial equality in STEM but also provides some solutions to solve said inequalities. These solutions will not only help me but other African Americans and females or both to find the motivation they always help to pursue their STEM careers. Said solutions will also benefit generations to come inspiring them to follow their STEM interest while ignoring gender norms which will eventually complete closing the racial and gender gap in STEM. My intended audience is younger girls, teenagers, and college students who are minorities or people of color age ranging anywhere from 14-25. As I think they would be the ones to benefit from the information provided since they are the ones who could bridge the racial and gender gap in STEM to make the workforce more diverse.

Odeica Duke

Professor Lisa Cole

English 1101 Composition 1

16^th March 2022

Final Reflection

What was your experience with and early assumption about your writing skills?

I and writing have always had a love-hate relationship. I have always felt as though I was not a good writer or even a writer at all since I believed that being a writer meant one’s writing has been published and most importantly well known. So having to write my entire school life only made me hate my writing even more. While I was a freshman and sophomore in high school, writing was something I really enjoyed. Back then writing was easier and more fun since I only had to write about the little things. In my opinion, assignments were easier because I never challenge my perspective so I could write without any bias, I just wrote about things I knew well and that was it. Writing outside of my perspective was never a thought that entered my head ever for my first two years in high school. Allowing myself to do the bare minimum when it came to writing in high school seemed like a good idea back in high school but now looking back with a broader perspective it limited opportunities, I had to not only better my writing skills but myself when it came to having a broad perspective.

Doing the bare minimum and not allowing myself to challenge my perspective was something I was okay with until assignments, teachers wanted more. During my last two years in high school, I had a lot of writing to do with college preparations and all. That was a point in my life where writing required more than my perspective had to offer, that is when I realized that my perspective had to change in order for my writing to be better. I will admit challenging my perspective was difficult, it was hard to stray away from my norm to an uncertain writing future and possibilities. Given that I had little to no experience writing outside my perspective, I was not optimistic about what the outcome of my writing would be, I initially thought I would fail. In the beginning, there were a lot of bumps in the road, but I finally get the hang of it after college application time. After I complete my college essay, I was pleased with the amount of work I put in and the outcome. My writing was a direct example of how I did not allow my perspective and predetermined ideas to shape my writing.

Have there been any noticeable changes in the work you did early in the semester to now?

Yes! My writing has improved from what it was early in the semester. I have learned so many things throughout this class that has aided in the improvement of my writing when comparing my work from early in the semester to now. When comparing the work, I did early in the semester to now, I noticed that overall, my writing made sense and all the ideas were coherent and well explained which I something I felt like I did not do enough of before. I also learned how to make my writing fit into different genres by using different languages, tones, and word choices.

Here is an example of an introduction I wrote for my Unit 1 “Education Narrative”, “Dating back to my earliest memory of education, I have always felt that school was never for me. I have always felt a disconnect between me and school. Do not get me wrong, I liked learning, it was the teachers, rules, and hierarchy I disliked. Much like Olivarez, most of my teachers taught via the banking method. We, the students, were just expected to take in as much information as we could and never question authority. Most days, a debate or misunderstanding would erupt between me and my teachers. Which started because I would calmly voice my opinions, as I would put it, that were viewed as disrespect. Shutting up and being a human educational sponge was something I could never do. Learning was exceedingly difficult, but it was something I had to do, especially since education was an exaggeratedly important part of my household.”  Then here is another example of an introduction I wrote for my Unit 2 “RAB” “Representation does not only affect how we see ourselves and others, but it also influences how we look at our future and the possibilities that await us. As early as I could remember I have always had this burning desire to find out everything and anything there is to know about outer space. Hearing this one would think that my dream job was to become an astronaut but that was not the case for me. Even though I did not want to go to space I still wanted something to do with it, so when I found out about Aerospace Engineering I was really intrigued. I remember I would watch every movie and video, read every book, and article and even look at pictures anything just to learn more about outer space. As I got older, I slowly started to lose interest in outer space, and I always thought that it was because I was exploring new things and it was just another interest that did not age well with time. However, now looking back with a more worldly and mature perspective, I realize that my sudden disinterest in the thing that made my heart skip several beats even when I was simply thinking about it, was caused by not seeing people who looked like me portrayed in the media. Lupita once said “Until I saw people who looked like me, I was not so sure [being an actress] was a possibility. My exact feeling as a kid but her actress is my Aerospace Engineer. When I started to notice that nearly all Aerospace engineers that I saw growing up did not look like me, this negatively impacted my self-esteem and self-worth making me feel inferior because of how I looked. For years, I look at life and my future with implicit bias, I would always limit my self-expectations and to fit what I thought was expected of me in the eyes of society.”

The two examples provided above are from different points in my writing career form this semester. My first major writing assignment was Unit 1 “Education Narrative” where I got to explore a significant event that impact my view on education and/ or school. The second example from my second major writing assignment was Unit 2 “RAB” where I got to do research on a topic that piques my interest. Changing my writing from a narrative to a reflective annotated bibliography was not easy but the outcome was worthwhile.  For my Unit 1 assignment, I used languages and tones that were friendly since I was not trying to provide a point or persuade my audience. I was simply just trying to express myself and my experiences. While for my RAB, I used more authoritative languages and tones since I was trying to persuade my audience into believing that the topic of my research was important.

What challenges did you find particularly challenging in this semester’s English class?

Something I found particularly challenging this semester making sure my writing made sequential sense which meant making sure the flow of my writing was not all over the place. To make sure my writing made sense and the information in it was flowing properly I would gather all the information I needed then list them out on a piece of paper then put them in sequential order. Then and only then I would start writing. I also found Unit 3 “Writing in a New Genre” extremely difficult. I had a hard time choosing a different genre that was not only best for my research but also for me.

What have you learned for your English 1101 class? And how are you going to incorporate what you have learned in your college future?

Some notable lessons that stuck with me after completing certain assignments are how to write a proper research paper (how to properly quote and cite sources), how to find sufficient sources that do not only support your predetermined ideas about your topic, and how one genre could form many different ones. Lastly, how to gather sufficient information that will make your writing beneficial to others. I will definitely be using the knowledge and experience that I gained throughout this course in other writing situations in my college life. This semester I have learned how to properly analyze a text to find the deep meaning and the writing style the author of said text used to make the purpose of their writing effective. I have also learned how to not only write in different genres but also how to change my writing into a completely new genre which would be very beneficial in my next English class.

Q1.   This semester’s English class has taught me so much about myself as a reader, writer, and scholar. I noticed extreme growth in my writing and reading skills compared to what it was coming into this class.

• Reader: My reading skill has enhanced from merely reading to find the standard author’s purpose, literary devices, genre, and overall meaning of said writing to reading to understand the author’s writing style such as word choice, sentence structure, and the flow of ideas and information. Deeply looking at a piece of writing to understand the author thought process and identify some of the characteristics of their writing that you could use in your own to make it better.
• Writer: Prior to this class when writing for school I would do the bare minimum barely meeting the requirements for an assignment. And most times my writing would have missing patches of ideas or some ideas that need more clarification so the flow of ideas in my writing would be all over the place. However, while writing for this class I notice that my writing style has changed. Now I tend to complete ideas and when I feel as though I have not explained one enough I overexplain to make sure my audience is not confused.
• Scholar:  As a scholar, I learned that I have the ability to complete assignments on time, but I have the tendency to procrastinate which as a direct result my work is usually turned in late. So, I have to work on my time management skills to stop procrastinating.

Q2.  I will definitely be using the knowledge and experience that I gained throughout this course in other writing situations in my college life. This semester I have learned how to properly analyze a text to find the deep meaning and the writing style the author of said text used to make the purpose of their writing effective. I have also learned how to not only write in different genres but also how to change my writing into a completely new genre which would be very beneficial in my next English class.

Q3. When comparing the work, I did early in the semester to now, I would say my writing has improved. I noticed that overall, my writing made sense and all the ideas were coherent and well explained which I something I felt like I did not do enough of before. I also learned how to make my writing fit into different genres by using different languages, tones, and word choices.

Q4. My least favorite assignment was Unit 3 “Writing in a New Genre”. I found it very hard to choose a different genre that was not only best for my research but also for me. My favorite assignment was Unit 2 “RAB”, I really enjoyed researching and writing about something that piqued my interest.

Q5. Some notable lessons that stuck with me after completing certain assignments are how to write a proper research paper (how to properly quote and cite sources), how to find sufficient sources that do not only support your predetermined ideas about your topic, and how one genre could form many different ones. Lastly, how to gather sufficient information that will make your writing beneficial to others.

Q6.  I have noticed many changes in my writing as the genres and assignments changed throughout this term. Firstly, my writing style, I have learned how to navigate and shape my writing to fit different genres. Secondly, my vocabulary has improved drastically. I have been reading many articles and books in and out of school which has helped strengthen my vocabulary. Thirdly, my proofreading skills are now trained to see minor mistakes in my writing that prior to this class would not have noticed.

Q7. Before starting an assignment, I would always look at similar writing online in terms of the genre to study the standard format to use as a model of my writing. Then I would gather all the information for the assignment and put them in sequential order for my writing to flow so that said information would be coherent and cohesive. Then I would start writing.

Q8. My assumptions about my writing skill prior to this class were that I am not a good writer. I never really enjoyed writing so I would put in the minimal effort which made the writing process boring and tiring. On top of that, the assignment I had were that interesting which made me dreed writing even more. Now, writing is more fun since most of the assignments in this class have been about our interests and experiences. I find that when I am writing about something that I have experienced or am interested in, the writing process is easier and more worthwhile.

Q9. I would not say I have an experience with revising assignments since I haven’t revised any of my assignments. Whenever I would receive a grade for an assignment, I would also be satisfied with it, so I did not feel the need to revise the assignment. Also, I do not do revision whenever I submit an assignment that would be the end of my writing process. I just submit a writing assignment and never look at it again. I just check what grade I got and that is it.

Q10. This semester was I found particularly challenging was making sure my writing made sequential sense which meant making sure the flow of my writing was not all over the place. To make sure my writing made sense and the information in it was flowing properly I would gather all the information I needed then list them out on a piece of paper then put them in sequential order. Then and only then I would start writing.