Experiential Learning in STEM at Hispanic-Serving Institutions: Toward Latinx Servingness and Intentionality

• In Event: Servingness in STEM Education for Latina/o/é/x/* Students Across Hispanic-Serving Institutions

Abstract

Institutional contexts, such as HSIs and community colleges (CCs), are vital to the STEM pathways and success of Latinx and other minoritized students (BLIND). Moreover, previous research illustrates the value of providing experiential learning (EL) opportunities to support postsecondary STEM success (Brown et al., 2020; Rodríguez Amaya et al., 2018). EL opportunities in STEM, including undergraduate research experiences and work-based experiences (i.e., internships), afford students the opportunity to gain hands-on experiences and learn about their respective disciplines beyond the classroom. One avenue for enhancing STEM EL experiences at the two-year level is through partnerships between CCs and four-year institutions, particularly at HSIs (Ashcroft et al., 2021). The current study contributes a unique perspective to the growing body of research on Latinx servingness (Garcia et al., 2019) and policy efforts emphasizing intentionality in serving Latinx students (Excelencia in Education, 2021), with a specific focus on how STEM EL programs and collaborative efforts at two- and four-year HSIs meet the needs of Latinx and other minoritized students.

Informed by the multidimensional conceptual framework of servingness in HSIs (Garcia et al., 2019) and previous research examining STEM servingness at HSIs, findings highlight the work of several large-scale projects funded by the National Science Foundation. These multi-institutional efforts involve collaborations between two- and four-year HSIs across the nation in research and practice partnerships. Drawn from data gathered for the larger case-study research across these institutions, this paper highlights the interview data of students, faculty, and staff engaged in STEM EL experiences. Transcripts from focus group and individual interviews were coded and analyzed in NVIVO to identify important themes regarding Latinx servingness and intentionality in EL opportunities for Latinx and other minoritized students in STEM at HSIs. Findings specifically focus on: (1) intentional recruitment and outreach efforts; (2) EL structures for serving Latinx and other minoritized students in STEM (e.g., institutional support / HSI or HSI STEM grants, culturally responsive / sustaining STEM experiences, STEM mentorship, and networking, institutional / industry / community collaborations, etc.); and (3) persistence and achievement (e.g., GPA, STEM degree completion) and socio-personal outcomes (e.g., STEM self-efficacy, community-centered STEM identity, etc.). Examining STEM EL experiences of students and educators allows for significant contributions to the literature by highlighting existing efforts at HSIs nationwide while identifying opportunities for growth towards serving Latinx STEM students in meaningful ways. This includes opportunities for building capacity through key institutional, industry, and community partnerships at HSIs (Ashcroft et al., 2021). Implications for future research, policy, and practice centering Latinx servingness and intentionality in STEM EL at HSIs will be discussed.

Authors

• Felisha Herrera, San Diego State University
  Presenting Author

• Victoria Rodriguez-Operana
  Non-Presenting Author

• Julio Fregoso, Morgan State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Amalia Krystal Lira, San Diego State University
  Non-Presenting Author