Jacquelina DaSilva
Why did you decide to pursue a graduate degree?
My passion for studying equity in STEM higher education stems from my personal experiences as a woman and first-generation student in science. These experiences have inspired me to dedicate my graduate research to addressing the challenges and barriers faced by underrepresented groups in STEM. Throughout my undergraduate studies, I’ve occasionally struggled to maintain a positive sense of belonging in my science classes, which at times has affected my overall learning experience. Through conversations with my classmates, I noticed that although we were all taking the same courses, our experiences varied widely. Some of us encountered more challenges than others, despite being in the same academic environment. It wasn’t until I began my first formal undergraduate research experience in Disciplined-Based Education Research (DBER) that I realized how certain teaching practices and techniques could be more inclusive and equitable than others. I was excited to learn that there’s an entire field dedicated to measuring the effectiveness of these practices on students and their role in fostering an inclusive classroom climate. From that moment on, it became clear to me that this was an area I wanted to explore further at the graduate level. Attending UBC, an institution committed to advancing science education, felt like the ideal place to dive deeper into this work.
Why did you decide to study at UBC?
UBC was my top institution choice for pursuing graduate studies due to its advancements in science education excellence. Due to this institution's role as the primary institutional hub for the Canadian Consortium of Science Equity Scholars (CCSES) and its past affiliation with the Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative (CWSEI), UBC is a significant contributor to the advancement of Disciplined-Based Education Research (DBER). Conducting DBER at a facility where enhancing undergraduate student learning is a top research priority made for a truly unique experience.
What is it specifically, that your program offers, that attracted you?
What attracted me to the MSc in Zoology program was its flexibility to conduct education research within a biology-focused department. This unique opportunity allowed me to engage directly with biology education research, surrounded by biology undergraduate students and faculty involved in both teaching and research. I felt that this environment would significantly enrich my work. Additionally, the prospect to be co-supervised by active scholars in Disciplined-Based Education Research (DBER) across multiple STEM disciplines was a key factor for me, offering valuable interdisciplinary perspectives and expertise to support my research.
What was the best surprise about UBC or life in Vancouver?
The best surprise about UBC and life in Vancouver has been the strong emphasis on work-life balance and the culture that encourages integrating nature into daily life. With mountains, forests, and the ocean all around, it's easier to take breaks and enjoy the outdoors, which enhances well-being and makes grad school feel more balanced.
What aspects of your life or career before now have best prepared you for your UBC graduate program?
Graduate school can be a challenging journey — one marked by delayed rewards, unclear deadlines, repetitive tasks and often solitary work. However, my background as a competitive dancer has profoundly shaped who I am today and has equipped me with skills that are invaluable in navigating the demands of grad school. Both dance and graduate studies share many similarities. Dance taught me the importance of time management, teamwork and community engagement, all of which are essential in academia. It also instilled in me a sense of discipline and perseverance, reminding me that progress often comes without immediate gratification, just as mastering a new technique requires repeated effort over time. Lastly, dance taught me that there are many paths to success and that it’s essential to be patient and compassionate with oneself throughout the process. These lessons from my dance background have prepared me to thrive in the environment of graduate school.
What advice do you have for new graduate students?
My advice to new graduate students is that it's important to balance academics and personal well-being. Graduate school can be intense, so setting clear boundaries is essential for long-term productivity. With less structure and more self-directed work, developing a routine that includes dedicated time for work, research and trying new things will help you manage your time effectively!
Learn more about Jacquelina's research
Efforts to reform undergraduate STEM education often emphasize evidence-based instructional practices such as student-centreed teaching, which shifts the focus from instructors to students by fostering interactions through one-on-one, group and whole-class discussions (Singer and Smith, 2013; Lund and Stains, 2015). These interactions can enhance learning when students are encouraged to exchange ideas to collectively generate knowledge (O’Connor et al., 2015). However, the quality of these interactions depends on the use of teacher discourse moves (TDMs) which are verbal strategies used by instructors to guide student understanding of content (Kranzfelder et al., 2019). TDMs can be authoritative, prioritizing the instructor's ideas, or dialogic, fostering discussions to encourage students to develop their own perspectives (Kranzfelder et al., 2020). While there is a consensus on the importance of dialogic TDMs, many instructors tend to use authoritative TDMs even in student-centered activities (Kranzfelder et al., 2020). We aim to characterize the TDMs used by a diverse group of instructors in a large, introductory biology course and explore correlations with student outcomes in the affective domain of learning.
