The "Comadre" Project

Abstract

Participation in out-of-school learning programs has been shown to generate significant academic, social/emotional, and institutional benefits for young learners, and today's wealthy families are disproportionately reaping these benefits. This paper presents the results of an assetbased/human-centered design research process and pilot aimed at connecting low-income families in a Southern California city with local low-cost out-of-school learning opportunities. Based on background research including qualitative interviewing, home visits, technology inventories and use walkthroughs with 40 low-income, majority Latinx families, we created and piloted a free subscription SMS service that automatically pushes bilingual SMS messages with curated information on local low-cost enrichment learning opportunities to low-income families. We framed our human-centered design process through an intersectional, "asset-based approach," which recognizes that marginalized communities have already developed robust, culturally-specific social practices to enable them to navigate the world, seeks to amplify them, and refrains from imposing a top-down or preconceived "idea" of intervention.

Making Connections to and From Out-of-School Experiences

“…Like the examples of iRemix and CCoL, other locally relevant tools can connect youth and their families to rich OST learning opportunities. For example, Cho et al (2019) designed and studied the development of an automated, free subscription SMS service that sent their sample of low-income families periodic text messages in English or Spanish, depending on preference, with locally relevant and specifically tailored information on OST learning opportunities. An example message from the study read, "Here's a really special opportunity for girls ages 10-18.…”

Infusing 21st Century Skill Development into the Undergraduate Curriculum: The Formation of the iBEARS Network

“…Inclusion within the science classroom is pivotal for the implementation of equity and success of students in STEM. The underlying structure of iBEARS, PjBL, allows instructors to adopt inclusive classroom practices, such as an asset-based approach to learning that creates a space for all to learn and succeed ( 34 – 36 ). Research has shown that utilizing inclusion within undergraduate research can increase retention rates of underrepresented students in STEM ( 37 – 40 ), solidify and support students’ career goals ( 41 ), and potentially compensate for inequalities these students may encounter ( 40 , 42 ).…”

Design Colaborativo em Literacia de Dados no Complexo do Alemão: Uma Abordagem Inspirada no Método Paulo Freire

“…, valores culturais[Wong-Villacres et al 2020a], redes sociais[Cho et al 2019] e conhecimento local dentro de comunidades[Dickinson et al 2019] [Karusala et al 2019] [Pei and Nardi 2019] [Wong-Villacres et al 2020b]. …”