Stanford SPARQ Launches SPARQtools Science-powered Recipes for Tackling Disparities

Stanford SPARQ: Social Psychological Answers to Real-world Questions today launched SPARQtools, a suite of science-powered toolkits for tackling disparities in health, education, criminal justice, and economic mobility.

Each online toolkit distills social science research into step-by-step instructions and materials for driving psychological, behavioral, and societal change.

Individuals and organizations seeking to create a more just world can use the toolkits to enhance equity, wellbeing, and prosperity for themselves and others.

The toolkits feature simple instructions, activity materials, concise summaries of the research behind them, clear change models, and users' stories. They also offer validated measures and a basic platform for evaluating each toolkit's impact.

The SPARQ team curates toolkits into smart collections, which provide multi-pronged solutions to complex societal problems. The first smart collection, Higher Ed Diversity and Inclusion, takes on achievement gaps in colleges and universities. The collection's toolkits include:

• Are You Ready to Talk? Quick exercises for preparing to discuss differences
• Beyond the Line: A group activity for exploring diversity
• Fishbowl Discussions: A format for asking sensitive questions and getting honest answers
• Blocking Gender Bias: A writing task that helps women succeed in STEM
• First-Gen Ascend: A panel discussion that boosts first-generation students' grades
• Peaceful Politics: A perspective shift that reduces political tensions
• Space Reface: Environmental cues that help women and people of color feel welcome
• Plot the Me You Want to Be: A future-mapping task that lifts grades
• Team Up Against Prejudice: A way of working together that lessens bias
• United States of Immigrants: A brief reading that increases support for immigrants

Collaborators and funders include Stanford Diversity Cabinet, Stanford Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning, Stanford Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, and Stanford Diversity and First-Gen Office, which joined forces with SPARQ to produce the Are You Ready to Talk?, Beyond the Line, and Fishbowl Discussions toolkits.

SPARQ is a Stanford Psychology Department "do tank" that partners with organizations to reduce social disparities in health, education, criminal justice, and economic mobility.

To learn more about SPARQtools, SPARQ, working with the team, or ways you can support SPARQ, please email stanford_sparq@stanford.edu.

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