- The resource I followed is a program called Al4All which works to teach and provide resources for minorities interested in STEM and AI. It works to expose them to the uses of artificial intelligence in every day life and give them the skills needed to pursue careers and broaden the field. Not only do they teach the basics and give them the tools required to be young innovators but they provide them with teachers and a community of organizations that will help them along the path to success. This program is so important because it provides minority students access to the stem world and allows them to develop their passions amongst a more diverse community. It adds to Wynns article because she speaks of broadening the science community in terms of representation for minorities. This program provides the opportunity for young kids to learn the traits and have the resources required to excel in any field despite their backgrounds.
- In this article the author is mostly speaking towards either minorities or those with disabilities who have been discriminated from a position due to things like race or gender. When she writes this article she attempts to sympathize with those who feel they have been treated wrongly for something they can’t control and wish to see a monumental change within the industry. When she says “Organizations regularly engage in practices that can reduce or reinforce inequality—such as hiring practices, performance evaluations, promotion procedures, project allocation, compensation, and termination. For women who experience multiple forms of bias (e.g. based on race or sexuality as well as gender), these practices can amplify inequalities even further.” she specifically points out the discrimination faced in each environment and how these individuals are affected by it. In this passage she attempts a call to action by asking the audience what changes can be made and whether or not they wish to see the next generation have more rights than in previous years.
Overview for Week of 7/20
We’re moving into Unit 3 this week, with just a few weeks to go before the end of the summer term. Read on for an explanation of where we’re headed in this final segment of the semester.
Over the course of Unit 2, you’ve assembled a body of sources that cover a range of perspectives and ideas related to your research topic. You’ve spent some time thinking about how these texts fit together and how you fit into the subject–what you find interesting and significant about what you’re learning.
So now it’s time for you to jump into this conversation–to develop an argument based on the research you’ve compiled for an audience and purpose of your choosing. Over the next week and a half, we’ll be working through the process of selecting an appropriate audience and articulating your purpose in addressing that audience. Be sure to read through the unit 3 assignment sheet in preparation for this work.
Along the way (this week and next), we’ll be looking at some examples of different genres, considering how writers bend their texts stylistically to suit their purposes and the needs of their audiences. Towards that end, here’s what’s up this week.
Reading
- “How to create a culture manifesto for your organization”
- “Shaping an ethical organizational culture” (note that this is a change from the original Unit 3 schedule–NYS took down the document I had planned to work with)
- Chapter 10 of TSIS (originally on last week’s schedule, but I accidentally omitted it from last week’s overview)–this will be an especially important chapter for your upcoming work, so make sure to read it!
Writing
- project proposal (due Sunday, 7/26)–this will be a brief blog post in which you plot out the basics of your project, including what audience you think ought to hear about what you’ve been learning (i.e. what group would benefit from hearing the argument you plan to develop)
- discussion posts in response to this week’s prompts (due Wednesday, with follow-up comments, as outlined in the prompt due by Monday or Tuesday at the latest):
Discussion posts for Week of 7/20
I am working my way through your research portfolios and will be getting you some feedback as soon as I can. While you’re waiting for that, please review the unit 3 assignment sheet and get started on the week’s readings, a couple of texts on building healthy cultures within an organization that look rather different from the essays/articles we’ve been reading.
Our focus is on genre this week and next. To refresh, “genre” refers to the sort of reasonable responses we make to recurring writing situation–need to reach out to a prospective client? a formal business letter can be a good way to initiate contact. Need to show what you know to a teacher on an exam? a 5-paragraph essay might get the job done. Need to impress a potential employer? An organized, clean, easy-to-read resume is a good plan. Have to make a sales pitch? A snazzy Prezi might be just the thing. Genres take shape because we find them to be helpful, audience-centered ways to accomplish a particular kind of communication task. The demands of the writing situation dictate the sort of genres that might be appropriate. As you move toward presenting your research, it’s time to explore possible genres for that work.
For this week’s discussion, please respond to both of the questions below. Categorize your posts as “Discussions,” and tag them with “week of 7/20,” “unit 3,” “genre,” and [your name].
- Notice the practical focus of both of this week’s readings (these aren’t just about sharing information for curiosity’s sake but rather about rendering it usable for a particular audience and purpose). Select one of this week’s readings to focus on, and examine how the authors do that–how do they process what they’ve learned to make it actionable for a reader? what readers? what writing/rhetorical strategies do you see them employing to make this information usable for their readers? Be specific and analytical–why do you think they go about it in this way? How effective do you think it is for that particular audience?
- It’s time to start imagining the possibilities for your own research writing in Unit 3–given what you want to discuss, for what purpose, and to whom, what are some of the options for you? What kinds of texts would this sort of reader be likely to engage with? where/when/on what platform do you see them getting this info? what kinds of expectations would your readers have about
- level of detail
- writing style
- length of text
- time spent reading
- citation method
- types of evidence/sources
Your response work might carry over a little into next week–you can either respond to their answers to #2 above, or read through a couple of your classmates’ project proposals after they’re due on Sunday, 7/26. Either way, please comment on at least 3 of them. Try to offer up your suggestions for what forms their work might take, given the parameters they’ve outlined.
Project Proposal
The issue I am examining is the need for universal design in the workplace for those with a disability. I am working with sources that are close studies and first hand accounts mainly. The studies I have gathered provide evidence for how beneficial universal design is, while debunking many of the well known beliefs. I am also using sources that utilize current policies or organizations that help those with disabilities get the help and care that they need in the workplace. The first hand accounts will provide relate-ability as humans and give the readers a first hand look into living life in the eyes of others. My analysis is planning to go in a direction towards statistical evidence, providing numbers and concrete examples of the benefits of universal design. As I already have found sources that reflect a surface to deeper level of analysis, I am looking for sources that provide the counter to my argument or sources that take my analysis deeper. I am also hoping to find sources that contradict the belief in designing for all, or provide barriers that some companies or workplaces may view as being too big to overcome. The audience I am planning to write for is those who have overlooked design in institutions or have not given a second thought to those in need around us.
Discussion Prompts for 7/13
- The linked resource I explored centered on the state of women in tech, but more specifically the wage gap and representation. The resource broke down the information into sections and kept each section brief. Statistics were provided in order to inform the audience of the stark differences between men and women in STEM. The categories are education, in the tech workspace, leadership, top barriers, top tech companies struggle balancing the gender gap, and global initiatives making their moves. This resource is valuable as it gives tangible numbers for then gender gap. it provides the reader with statistics to keep in mind, while keeping the writing short and to the point. I believe this adds realism to Wynn’s article as these numbers correlate to real life scenarios and create a layer of depth to what Wynn is already discussing. Wynn’s subtopic where this resource was found in the article is more a summarization and elaboration of the information in the resource, so having the actual source may be easier for some to conceptualize.
- I think those who would most benefit from the article are those in STEM or people who are of my age group. I think her target audience is those who are about to enter the workforce, but are still young enough to impact younger generations profoundly. One passage that works well for this audience is the one entitled “7. Be A Mentor.” One quote that lead me to this conclusion in this passage was “Fix the faulty pipeline of women reaching leadership roles in the workplace and achieving greater progress by being a mentor.” Wynn is writing in a call to action form, emphasizing the importance of being a resource for younger girls. Previously in the same section, Wynn discusses the lack of mentorship that women have discussed, and how important it is to be a mentor for younger girls. She states that almost 50% of women said that there is underrepresentation because of lack of mentors, while the other half said it was the lack of role models. At this age, those at the college level are able to reach younger girls in a more relatable way than women older. Women of the college level have the ability to be role models for younger girls and proving to them that they can break the gender barriers and fulfill their dream career.
Discussion Post – Week of 7/13
Appearing in the April 29, 2016 issue of The Harvard Business Review, Shelly Correll and Caroline Simard’s article, “Research: Vague Feedback Is Holding Women Back” shares with readers some of the results of their research into the effects of performance evaluations on the advancement of women into executive roles. Correll and Simard, both of Stamford University, found that women are less likely than men to receive specific feedback, regardless as to whether that feedback be positive or negative. The authors discuss the possible causes behind this trend and conclude that this “vague feedback” has a direct negative impact on women’s chances for advancement. The lack of specificity makes it difficult to measure progress and provides less clarity of what steps are necessary to make it to the next level. The results of Correll and Simard’s research are a powerful tool in supporting Wynn’s third recommendation for organizational change; Performance Evaluations. Her suggestion that organizations establish clear and precise criteria is backed up by the research performed by Correll and Simard.
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The best audience for Wynn’s article is leaders in the tech industry who are engaged in working to enhance gender equality in tech. It is best suited for those in a position to effect change, as well as those with the opportunity to influence decision making. It would be particularly useful to HR presidents and vice-presidents because it provides six clear areas of focus. There are two key sentences which I believe serve as the fulcrum for Wynn’s entire argument:
“It may be easier to think of individualistic solutions—such as training ourselves to think differently and change our own behavior—or to blame larger societal forces we can’t control, rather than to change the intricate organizational procedures and practices that contribute to employment outcomes in complex ways. However, my research suggests that we must address organizational forms of inequality as well.”
The first of these sentences addresses methods with which the readers are likely to be familiar. In fact, they may have attempted many of them already. In the second, Wynn quickly but delicately deems them ineffective and prepares the reader to be receptive to her recommendations which follow.
Week of 7/13 – Discussion
- The article ”Is Redemption Possible In The Aftermath Of #MeToo?” by Matt Chinworth is about the men accused and charged with sexual misconduct during the #MeToo movement and the possibilities for them to come back into the society without ignoring the feelings and wishes of their victims. It is structured in such a way that both sides are heard—one side that supports open reintegration in addition to the main focus on the victims as a step towards sustainability in the movement and one that emphazises more the side and fair dealing with the pain of the victims instead of giving space to the perpetrators. The lighting of both opposing sides and the integration of concrete case studies as examples and expert speeches make up the value of this article, since it enables the most objective opinion formation possible. It is integrated into Wynn’s article that talks about the effort organizations of the tech industry have to take in order to create gender equality within their structures instead of focusing on small individual changes. The tech industry is also strongly criticized for the disrespectful treatment of women and since the #MeToo movement has earned a wide range of medial attention showing the dangerous conditions of women in different work spaces, the article is well integrated into Alison Wynn’s for giving a deeper look into the topics and providing background informations.
- Alison Wynn in her article “Individual Change Won’t Create Gender Equality in Organizations” points out how small individual changes won’t be capable to reduce or eliminate inequality between genders in organizations although they are often used as a main attempt to fight inequality, which her research reveals. Her article not only talks on a meta level about the efforts that have to be made by those responsible, but reduces biases in addressing them directly in her six stage strategy to combat inequality. She claims that the problem has to be identified to take action on it, so she seems to speak straight to decision-holders of the industry to increase the chances that those people in charge feel addressed. By using the imperative in the following excerpt, “When determining employee rewards, such as pay and promotion, hold decision-makers accountable for basing such rewards on demonstrated employee performance, rather than subjective factors such as favoritism”, the author guarantees that in the right places executives are appealed. Her next excerpt, “Take steps to make sure employees’ voices are heard in meetings that they feel included and safe at work, and that they can be successful“ speaks about how to eliminate microaggressions in the workplace. To make sure employees’ voices are heard in meetings as she suggests, you have to be in charge of leading them, therefore her main group of readers are as well those who are interested as employers and the leaders of a company. Nevertheless, she encounters them on an informing but neutral level which supports her appeals to be heard and hopefully even acted upon.
Discussion, Isaac
- Allison Wynn is at the point in her article where she is listing her proposals to mitigate the ongoing discrimination in organizations when she adds the link to the article “Why Most Performance Evaluations Are Biased, and How to Fix Them”. The link is contained in a small paragraph that places blame on ambiguous evaluation forms that use open-ended questions that draws biased opinionated answers. The study she links to elaborates on this claim, and uses data and experiments to try and find a solution to the problem. The study involved speaking to current managers and their thoughts on the evaluation form and its process, and their answers typically were not confident in the current system. The ambiguity of the questionnaires leaves managers lost often, and in turn, their unconscious/conscious biases help them fill in the open spaces. The authors, Lori Mackenzie, JoAnne Wehner and Shelley J. Correll, then go on in the same direction as Wynn by proposing improvements to the evaluation form process. The study they conducted also included managers feedback and opinions on their more specific evaluation form that forced the managers to work through their employees using a standardized list of criteria, in hopes everyone is judged much more equally. The responses they received were 90% positive, and the managers who participated in the study said the new form made them feel much more confident in their evaluations.
- The target audience of Allison Wynn’s article “Individual Change Won’t Create Gender Equality in Organizations” is primarily the managers and executives in leadership roles that have the power to implement the reforms Allison Wynn is calling for. Baseline employees and even some of the higher positions in organizations usually have little power in making changes to the pre-existing standards of the company, although the manager’s role typically includes managing and evaluating their employees work. In the article, Wynn states
“While conducting a year-long, in-depth case study of a Silicon Valley technology company implementing a gender equality initiative, I investigated how executives understand and attempt to mitigate inequality. I found that their explanations for inequality—and strategies to address it—often fall short of enacting the change that’s most necessary.”
This statement was used in her introduction, and she brings up the fact that most of her studies results show that the people with the power to enact positive change often do not do so. This passage is calling out to executives, informing them of how large this issue has become and how they are the ones in the position to enact change, and the rest of the article calls back to this statement every time it mentions the executive’s role in a company.
Week of 7/13 Discussion Post – Dominique Van Gilst
- The linked resource that I explored is a card set called Inclusion Conversation Cards. Each card includes engaging statistics and questions that will definitely get you thinking. This set of cards is important because it allows for a comfortable way to speak and learn about inclusion and gender equality. This resource is also great for motivation because it gets people thinking about what they need to change at work, home, school, etc. This tool adds to Wynn’s article because it is a suggestion of something that can be used to teach employees how to be more inclusive at work. Wynn believes that this resource could definitely assist in creating a more accepting and inclusive workspace. However, this tool should not be the only one used to do this; creating a safe environment for everyone must be a continuous process.
- I think that anyone could benefit from reading this article because it provides a lot of tools and resources that can help people to be more aware of inequality at work, school, home, etc. However, I think that the main target audience is probably any organization and its employees because of the way that the article is written, and the language used. The segment that I think works well with that target audience is:
“Beyond hiring, organizations should establish clear, specific criteria for evaluating employees year-round. Research shows that ambiguous or vague evaluations can open the door to bias, such as evaluating employees based on gendered personality expectations (e.g. women should behave communally, men should behave assertively), so it’s important for organizations to use a transparent and consistent process for evaluating employees”
It is easy to tell from this passage that the article is geared towards organizations and employees because it talks about hiring, bias, and evaluating employees. Even though I chose to include this specific passage, the whole article talks about ways to improve the workplace so that everyone is treated equally.
Week of 7/13 discussion, Aaron
- The link within the article that I had was “50 ways to fight bias”. This was brand new to me, but I found very useful. It is an online card game of sorts that has 4 different sets of cards which each have a “do you know?” section in them which contain diversity and bias related questions such as: “What % of Black women have never had an informal interaction with a senior leader at their company?” The answer for this one is 59%. These questions have pretty dismal answers that prepare you for whats to come in the next section of cards which give you different scenarios, such as: hiring, everyday interactions, reviews and promotions, meeting dynamics, mentorship and sponsorship.
- This activity is geared towards professional people in a working environment. It is very useful because the scenarios that are used in this exercise are very relatable and realistic. One scenario in one of the card sets presents us with this problem: “You’re asked to interview candidates for a role on your team and notice none are women.” The bottom of the card gives an explanation of why this matters. This matters because not interviewing women will surely mean that the company is missing out on good candidates and women will not be afforded the opportunity to advance their careers. The card also gives information that states that women are far less likely to receive an opportunity into entry level professional employment, which further stunts the growth of diversity in the workplace.