1. Origins & Overview Introducing Bias Literacy Workshop August 19, 2008 AAAS, Washington DC

2. Introducing Bias Literacy – Aug. 19, 2008 In the Beginning: The Idea for the Workshop... Began at the Working WISE Conference at UMass- Lowell in 2007 Ruta & Daryl in same small group on workforce discrimination Term bias literacy uttered by Ruta, which Daryl wrote down & we returned to it

3. Introducing Bias Literacy – Aug. 19, 2008 The Idea (cont.)... After fleshing, we drafted a book prospectus, which Jossey-Bass promptly declined for being too popular in orientation We decided to produce a first, conceptual chapter of the book Then we decided to adapt the chapter for presentation, first at WEPAN, then ICWES, now as a AAAS workshop

4. Introducing Bias Literacy – Aug. 19, 2008 Bona Fides of Workshop Leaders Who we are AAAS Capacity Center The team approach

5. Introducing Bias Literacy – Aug. 19, 2008 AAAS Capacity Center at a Glance Origin: Established as a science & engineering human resource development consulting service August 2004 with 3-year, $400K grant from Sloan Foundation to AAAS (www.aaascapacity.org)www.aaascapacity.org Mission: Through nationally-calibrated research & technical assistance in examining programs & outcomes, foster institutional capacity to... recruit, enroll, & support STEM students diversify the faculty change programs, structures, & attitudes Clients/Sponsors: Higher education institutions (Harvard-PRISE, LSU-LA STEM, UWash- CAEE) Corporations (HP-Teaching with Technology) federal agencies (NSF-Broadening Participation in Computing) non-profits (Sloan, NACME, CT Academy for Education, WEPAN)... focus on research, education, and institutional climate

6. Introducing Bias Literacy – Aug. 19, 2008 Baseline: Discovering the Audience Sector Pre-knowledge Motivation Expectation

7. Introducing Bias Literacy – Aug. 19, 2008 Formats for Today Lecture: solo & team Interactive online Q&A/Discussion Small Group

8. Introducing Bias Literacy – Aug. 19, 2008 Level: Superficial (or Introductory, if you prefer) This is an environmental scan Some of it will under-estimate your knowledge base Consider today a starter kit We seek breadth and will offer tools to help you drill for depth (on your own)

9. Introducing Bias Literacy – Aug. 19, 2008 Assumptions Our own experiences are valuable, so we will be introspective & autobiographical Whos not here? We are preaching to the choir, but... solidarity helps We do not dwell on what we cant control, but... must be aware of constraints in the environment We raise issuesand you will raise others we didnt anticipatebut wont discuss or resolve some of them to our mutual satisfaction... We will park issues for return treatment at days end

10. Introducing Bias Literacy – Aug. 19, 2008 Vital Distinctions Research... Advocacy... Policy

11. Introducing Bias Literacy – Aug. 19, 2008 Research Empirical findings evolvethey are not fixed for all time There are limits to generalizations, as well as attributions of cause & effect New knowledge requires adaptation to different contexts & populations, as well as adjustments in behavior

12. Introducing Bias Literacy – Aug. 19, 2008 Advocacy for Social Justice versus Research Research = systematic, controlled, empirical investigation and process of inquiry, i.e., a search for truth Advocacy = active support, promotion of an idea or cause for the sake of changing public opinion, acceptance, and behavior, i.e., a search for choosing a certain path

13. Introducing Bias Literacy – Aug. 19, 2008 Driven by advocacy and informed by research... What is the best course of action for achieving this goala choice among alternatives? POLICY = a commitment to achieve a valued objective

14. Introducing Bias Literacy – Aug. 19, 2008 Advocacy can be INFORMED by research: This truth is wrong, and we must correct this wrong Research can be MOTIVATED by advocacy: We need to know more about this situation, so we can learn what works to change it. Policy acts on values: It can be based on research, advocacy, self- interest, altruism, and expediency

15. Introducing Bias Literacy – Aug. 19, 2008 More on this throughout the day... Thanks for being here!