Using Transactional Approaches to Enhanced STEM Learning and Engagement for African American Middle School Boys

• In Event: 35.078 - MTCC Roundtable Session 14
  In Roundtable Session: 35.078-10 - Leveraging Instructional, Content, and Mentoring Practices for Black Male Middle School Students in Informal STEM Programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Abstract

Objectives or Purposes: The purpose of this study serves to highlight evidence-based best practices toward academic achievement, learning, and motivation African American middle school boys along STEM education pathways.

Perspective(s) or Theoretical Framework: Transactional strategies focus on the strategically meaningful teacher-student interaction. These transactional strategies share the learning focus with students. Thus, the instructor facilitates a bi-directional relationship of genuine interactions with the goal of developing a certain skill as well as the whole person. Four transactional strategies were used within a framework: Meaningful Learning, Learning Community, Culture, and Constructive Social Interactions.

Methods: The sample for this study included 126 middle school African American boys enrolled across four STEM summer camps located at HBCUs. Ninety percent of the students come from low-income backgrounds as denoted by FARMS identification. This study represents a portion of a larger study that included lesson observations and individual and focus group interviews with students, mentors, and instructors. The study portion incorporated a correlational design with a pretest-posttest approach. Students completed a pretest and posttest reflecting their knowledge and interest in STEM topics and careers. Additionally, students completed the Student Survey of Instructional and Learning Practices. Camp mentors and instructors completed the Teacher Survey of Instructional and Learning Practices.

Data sources, evidence, objects, or materials: Three surveys were used for this aspect of the study: The Students Attitudes Towards STEM Survey examines levels of students’ self-efficacy, self-perception, and interest in engineering courses, majors, and careers. The Student Survey of Instructional and Learning Practices is designed to elicit responses of elementary and secondary students relating to instructional practices used, of classroom climate, and personal attitudes toward instruction. The Teacher Survey of Instructional and Learning Practices is designed to elicit responses of elementary and secondary teachers’ perceptions of their classroom practices, their students’ learning behaviors.

Results: Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in this study to examine the relationships between transactional teaching strategies and students’ STEM interest. Correlational analyses indicate positive inter-correlation between each transactional teaching strategy, suggesting the more one strategy is used the more another strategy is used and vice versa. In addition, the impact of using these transactional teaching approaches on students’ learning, motivation, and engagement in STEM is explored.

Scientific or scholarly significance of the study or work: This study examines the use of transactional instructional practices to support African American middle school students’ learning, engagement, and motivation in STEM learning contexts. The results from this study support the need to increase more opportunities for African American boys to engage in STEM-based learning. Further, this study may inform regular school settings of effective ways to enhance STEM education from African American boys, closing gaps related to an African American presence in STEM fields.

Author

• Sean Coleman, Bowie State University