New publication! Student identities predict classmate and instructor fear of negative evaluation among undergraduates in large-enrollment introductory biology courses

Katey and Dr. Carly Busch just published a new study showing that marginalized undergraduates in biology, especially PEER, LGBTQ+, and non-native English speaking students, experience more fear of negative evaluation, particularly from instructors.

In this study of nearly 500 undergraduates enrolled in large introductory biology courses, the team found that over half of the students report that fear of negative evaluation (FNE) hurts their ability to think or speak during class. Women, PEER students, and LGBTQ+ students were significantly more likely to report struggling with these fears.

While FNE often motivated students to prepare more, its negative effects on cognitive and verbal participation raise important equity concerns. Notably, instructor FNE was even more common than classmate FNE and lasted longer for LGBTQ+ and ESL students, suggesting that identity-related dynamics shape how students experience active learning.

Read it here! Student identities predict classmate and instructor fear of negative evaluation in large-enrollment introductory biology courses