Understanding barriers to participation within undergraduate STEM laboratories: towards development of an inclusive curriculum

Figures & data

Table 1. Student survey protocol.

Section	Question	Data Type
Expectations	Were you aware that lab work would be part of the degree programme before you applied?	Binary (yes/no)
	Did the opportunity for labwork affect your choice of course/institution?	Binary (yes/no)
	How did it affect your decision?	Free text
	How many lab sessions were you expecting to do?	Categorical
Background	Which A/AS levels did you study (if applicable)?	Free text
	How many individual laboratory sessions have you completed before coming to University?	Categorical
	Were you able to carry out the experiments yourself?	Binary (yes/no)
	Have you had any Health and Safety Training before coming to University?	Binary (yes/no)
	If yes, did you find it helpful in preparing you for labwork?	Free text
Confidence and Belonging	Thinking about entering a lab for the first time at University, indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements?	5 point likert scale
	I feel confident about carrying out laboratory work
	I feel that I belong in a laboratory setting
	What causes you most concern about working in the laboratory?	Categorical
	Please explain why this concerns you	Free text
	What actions would help alleviate these concerns?	Free text
Support	Have you been provided with information on your first laboratory session?	Binary (yes/no)
	If yes, how was this information provided?	Categorical
	How would you prefer information on laboratory sessions to be provided?	Free text
	I will do all the necessary reading and preparatory work before entering the lab	5 point likert scale

Table 2. Questionnaire Participant Summary Demographic Data, count of respondents, figures in parentheses %, n = 232.

	Female	Male	Transgender M or F	Other	Prefer not to say
Gender	138 (59)	85 (37)	5 (2)	2 (1)	2 (1)
	Heterosexual	Homosexual	Bisexual	Other	Prefer not to say
Sexual Orientation	181 (78)	13 (6)	19 (8)	8 (3)	11 (5)
Age	17–24	25–34	35–44	45–54	>55
	215 (93)	13 (5.6)	3 (1)	1 (0.4)	0
	White (including White British)	Mixed or Multiple Ethnic Groups	Asian or Asian British	Black, African, Caribbean or Black British	Other Ethnic Group	Prefer not to say
Ethnicity	199 (86)	5 (2)	18 (8)	2 (1)	1 (<1)	7 (3)
	Blindness/ Sight loss	Deaf or hearing loss	Mobility	Manual Dexterity	Learning Disability	Mental Illness	Cognitive Disability	Other impairment	Not listed	Prefer not to say	None
Disability*	0	1 (<1)	0	2 (<1)	9 (4)	31 (13)	1 (<1)	10 (4)	15 (6)	9 (4)	158 (68)
	Biological Sciences	Earth Sciences	Chemistry	Engineering and mathematics	Physics	Geography	Environmental Science/Studies	Other
Subject studied at University	81 (35)	9 (4)	32 (14)	41 (18)	2 (<1)	33 (14)	18 (8)	16 (7)

*results are >100% for disability where students have recorded more than one condition.

Figure 1. Importance of demographic group in determining confidence and sense of belonging in the laboratory measured on the Likert Scale. (A) gender and confidence, (B) gender and belonging, (C) disability and confidence, (D) disability and belonging, (E) Ethnicity and confidence, (F) Ethnicity and belonging, (G) sexuality and confidence and (H) sexuality and belonging.

Figure 2. Importance of background in determining confidence and sense of belonging in the laboratory measured on the Likert Scale. (A) number of lab sessions prior to university and confidence, (B) number of lab sessions prior to university and belonging, (C) A level subject studied and confidence, (D) A level subject studied and belonging, (E) Health and Safety training and confidence and (F) Health and Safety training and belonging.

Figure 3. Percentage of respondents indicating their main concern with working in the lab environment (n = 232).

Figure 4. Percentage of respondents indicating the current and preferred method of providing laboratory practical information (n = 232). Note that % are >100 due to students indicating more than one method.