Making “it” matter: developing African-American girls and young women’s mathematics and science identities through informal STEM learning

Morton, Crystal; Smith-Mutegi, Demetrice

doi:10.1007/s11422-022-10105-8

Cited by 8 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…If we are promoting science for all, then our structures and systems should ensure that everyone has equitable access to opportunities and resources. For girls who tend to have negative experiences with STEM in traditional STEM environments, such as schools, informal STEM learning can help alter their perceptions of what it means to be a girl in STEM, provide encouragement to pursue and persist in STEM careers, and help counter the disparities for Black girls in mathematics and science [36,37,57,58]. Social-emotional development, which encompasses skills such as self-awareness, empathy, and responsible decision making, has the potential to create supportive STEM learning spaces for girls.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These programs must be in spaces that affirm their identities and cultural referents to improve the learning experiences of Black girls. Programs such as the Girls STEM Institute (GSI) revealed an increase in Black girls' mathematics and science self-efficacy and value of STEM knowledge [37]. Anissa, a participant in the study, shared how her spirit was broken in school when a trusted teacher stated, "You do know no college is going to accept you."…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

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“The Work I Do Matters”: Cultivating a STEM Counterspace for Black Girls through Social-Emotional Development and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies

King,

Peña-Telfer,

Earls

2023

Education Sciences

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Central to culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) is the notion that we sustain what we love by decentering the white gaze. Elevating CSP and the five core social-emotional learning competencies, we honed in on how Black and Brown girls developed knowledge and skills to manage their emotions, achieve goals, show empathy, and maintain healthy relationships within the context of a single-gender summer STEM program. These opportunities to engage in critical conversations to learn, unlearn, and relearn, while showing up as their full and authentic selves, are not often afforded in traditional STEM classes. This paper focuses on dialogue and interactions amongst four program participants—Samira, Rita, Brandy, and Joy. Critical discourse analysis was employed to challenge the dominance and reproduction of discourses by examining social contexts and systemic structures that they addressed in conversation. Findings revealed the importance of cultivating trusting and intentional learning spaces for Black and Brown girls to engage in open dialogue and critique oppressive discourses. It also displayed the significance of leaning into difficult conversations and pluralism to help adolescent girls realize the complexities of culture while also promoting joy and social-emotional development. Creating spaces that affirm Black and Brown girls matter; their contributions and work that they do matter.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“The Work I Do Matters”: Cultivating a STEM Counterspace for Black Girls through Social-Emotional Development and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies

King,

Peña-Telfer,

Earls

2023

Education Sciences

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“…While Black girls may have a passion for STEM, it does not always lead to them choosing STEM majors or related post-secondary opportunities (Lane & Id-Deen, 2020;Ong et al, 2018). Morton and Smith-Mutegi (2022) highlighted the disparities in Black girls' education, notably the absence of culturally relevant content and a sense of belonging in STEM classes. Despite Black girls' potential, they often face lowered expectations from teachers due to racial and gender biases (Morton & Smith-Mutegi, 2022).…”

Section: Stem Learning Environments and Curriculamentioning

confidence: 99%

High school Black girls’ experiences in a STEM after‐school program: A qualitative case study

Allen

2023

School Sci & Mathematics

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Due to limited research on Black girls in science education, this study focuses on the forms of capital Black girls cultivated through their participation in a community‐based STEM after‐school program. The study drew from the interviews and a focus group session of 10 Black girls and investigated their formal and informal experiences in science. Using intersectionality and community cultural wealth as theoretical perspectives, findings revealed that multiple forms of capital (aspirational, social, navigational, and familial) were fostered and interconnected throughout the program. The intersections of race and gender were also prominent contributions to the multidimensional, nuanced ways Black girls experience and flourish in STEM education. Implications and recommendations for future research on Black girls in science are discussed.

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“…In other words, the racial and gendered identities of these Black and Brown girls have often been constructed as “physical and intellectual hindrances” (Farinde & Lewis, 2012, p. 422). Hence, those representing the Collective Black —such as Black and Brown girls—learn early on that aspects of their social identities, or the sum of what makes them who they are does not fit the valued cultural and social norms of being and acting like a science person (i.e., middle‐class white masculinity) (Morton & Smith‐Mutegi, 2022; Parsons, 1997; Thomas et al, 2018).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While there are many studies that examine the racialized or gendered science experiences of Black and Brown girls longitudinally (Hanson, 2004; Morton & Smith‐Mutegi, 2022), in elementary schools (Archer et al, 2010; Tucker‐Raymond et al, 2007), middle schools (Tan & Calabrese Barton, 2010), high schools (Aschbacher et al, 2010; Brickhouse & Potter, 2001; Visintainer, 2020), in addition to undergraduate and graduate programs (Carlone & Johnson, 2007; Hazari et al, 2013; Morton & Parsons, 2018; Ong et al, 2011), there are limited studies that examine how language becomes another mechanism of racialization contributing to the (dis)identification and self‐doubts about being and becoming a science person. Drawing on an instrumental case study design (Stake, 1995) and identity‐as‐narrative analysis (Juzwik, 2006), our study aims to fill this gap in science education research.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Invisible multilingual Black and Brown girls: Raciolinguistic narratives of identity in science education

Harper

Kayumova

2022

J Res Sci Teach

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Black and Brown girls are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. Although studies have examined the reasons for this by exploring Black and Brown girls' experiences based on culture, gender, and race, there is a need for specifically understanding how language contributes to racialized experiences in science education. This study fills this critical gap by presenting narratives of three academically talented multilingual girls from Black and Brown communities. Utilizing semi‐structured interviews, self‐identifying questionnaires, and identity‐as‐narrative analysis, this study demonstrates how the racialized experiences of these multilingual Black and Brown girls influenced their relations to science, ideas about the attributes of a science person, and developing science identities. The findings suggest that although the girls had a strong affiliation with science and academic achievement in science, the girls' experiences were racialized through raciolinguistic ideologies and dominant cultural practices of science, which left them invisibilized and unsure about pursuing a future career in STEM. The implications of this study underline the importance of looking at the problem of underrepresentation as an issue of identification, belonging, and representation rather than an of academic skill or interest.

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Making “it” matter: developing African-American girls and young women’s mathematics and science identities through informal STEM learning

Cited by 8 publications

References 19 publications

“The Work I Do Matters”: Cultivating a STEM Counterspace for Black Girls through Social-Emotional Development and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies

“The Work I Do Matters”: Cultivating a STEM Counterspace for Black Girls through Social-Emotional Development and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies

High school Black girls’ experiences in a STEM after‐school program: A qualitative case study

Invisible multilingual Black and Brown girls: Raciolinguistic narratives of identity in science education

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