Speaker
Description
Promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in scientific disciplines remains a significant challenge. While EDI programs and interventions have grown substantially, their effectiveness in producing sustainable and meaningful change is often unknown. Our research is addressing this challenge by developing and evaluating a novel assessment tool to measure individuals’ readiness to engage in EDI in STEM fields over time, the “EDI-Ready” questionnaire.
The design of the questionnaire is grounded in a well-established theory of human behaviour change that delineates 4 stages of change common across different contexts; we applied the theory to the context of EDI in STEM. The questionnaire aims to quantify an individual’s attitudes and behaviours associated with EDI initiatives. We conducted a pilot study to evaluate the EDI-Ready questionnaire at Carleton University by recruiting graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty in STEM.
Over 250 scientists and engineers completed the EDI-Ready questionnaire, and 33 participated in follow-up semi-structured interviews. Statistical analyses of participant responses to the questionnaire suggest that participants’ behaviours and attitudes align with the theory’s 4 stages of change; these results show the majority of participants are preparing to engage in EDI initiatives (but are not fully action-oriented). Qualitative analyses based on the interviews validated the questionnaire as an assessment tool to capture change readiness and to gain a better understanding of participants’ perspectives and experiences with EDI.
Initial results demonstrate that the EDI-Ready questionnaire can effectively assess individuals’ behaviours and attitudes related to EDI in STEM. Ongoing work focuses on refining the questionnaire and engaging in broader validity studies, towards the aim of providing a validated tool to measure progress in advancing EDI at individual and institutional levels. Data collected from the questionnaire provides the foundation for the design of tailored, theory-driven interventions, including interactive technologies.
| Keyword-1 | equity, diversity, inclusion |
|---|---|
| Keyword-2 | research |
| Keyword-3 | teaching |