Equity Ethics: A New Tool for Measuring and Promoting Justice in STEM Fields

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 8:00 am Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Building Equity-Oriented Communities in Education (Table 2)

Abstract

Addressing systemic injustices is essential for fostering equity in STEM. Towards this goal, we developed and validated the Equity Ethics Scale (EES). This novel scale identifies two critical constructs: Equity Ethos and Equity Action. Equity Ethos captures an individual's awareness of systemic barriers and commitment to addressing them; Equity Action, on the other hand, involves tangible efforts to combat racial injustices. By employing exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, our study validates the EES as a reliable and effective measure for assessing both the philosophical and practical aspects of equity. The EES offers a valuable tool for the STEM education community to measure, asses, and promote equity and (racial/social) justice.

Authors

• Ebony O. McGee, Johns Hopkins University

• Shelly Engelman, Johns Hopkins University

• Binh Chi Bui, The University of Texas at El Paso