Video blogs: A tool for promoting diversity, inclusion, and accessibility
Abstract
Video blogs (vlogs) are blogs in which the primary medium is video, and represent a tool for outreach to promote interest in STEM, aid in recruitment and public awareness, and highlight diverse role models to promote diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. A graduate student-led initiative that is part of the Center for Diverse Leadership in Science is planning a vlog series that will create a database of peoples' unique experiences in higher education, with a focus on graduate school. Although vlogs are by no means a new idea, currently there are few focused on graduate students in STEM in the United States.
One of the most commonly asked questions of graduate students is, "What is your day-to-day like?" This question can effectively be answered by footage of graduate students navigating a week of their respective programs. Thus, a collection of such experiences would be a useful resource for students and professionals who are questioning applying to graduate school, particularly if they do not personally know any current or former graduate students or are afraid of asking. We suggest vlogs could serve as a tool for people coping with and mitigate the effects of imposter syndrome by showing that such thoughts and emotions are common and ok. They could also mitigate the effects of duck syndrome and competitive stress by showcasing real, honest experiences of actual graduate students. Furthermore, by highlighting people from diverse backgrounds in all contexts, the vlogs will be a venue for aspiring scientists to connect with and more easily see themselves as a graduate students, while promoting the visibility of the current graduate students and increasing the accessibility of STEM graduate research programs.- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018AGUFMED41C1115U
- Keywords:
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- 0810 Post-secondary education;
- EDUCATIONDE: 0820 Curriculum and laboratory design;
- EDUCATIONDE: 0840 Evaluation and assessment;
- EDUCATIONDE: 0855 Diversity;
- EDUCATION