Poder: A Program for Democratizing Entrepreneurship and Technology Education With Critical Consciousness Development

• In Event: 61.056 - Paulo Freire and Critical Pedagogy in a Post-Truth Era

Abstract

Systemic barriers faced by underrepresented minorities (URMs) maintain sharp educational and career gaps as they pursue pathways to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. We used a combination of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and Critical Consciousness Theory to create the Poder (Spanish for “to be able to” and “power”) program. Poder was offered for free at 5 community colleges, and it supported students in designing ventures addressing societal problems. We analyzed interviews from 36 diverse students. Initial findings highlighted themes on how students developed and integrated critical consciousness, entrepreneurship self-efficacy, and technological understanding during Poder. Students displayed high expectations for entrepreneurship careers, as well as high expectations to persist through graduation and/or transfer to a 4-year university.

Authors

• German Andres Cadenas, Lehigh University

• Elizabeth Cantu, Arizona State University

• Tameka Spence

• Aliss Ruth