Engaging Pre-Admissions Teacher Education Students in Family-Driven STEM Learning

• In Event: Centering Community in Teacher Practice

Abstract

This paper focuses on a qualitative study involving a Midwest teacher education program affiliated with a STEM-centered grant that employed a ‘Family as Faculty’ approach in a community-based, early field experience in a freshman/sophomore course. The framework, “Family Math”, encompasses five principles derived from the National Association of Family, School, and Community Engagement (NAFSCE). Research presented focuses on the application and outcomes of this framework as implemented with 26 pre-admissions teacher education students and 9 family leaders of disabled youth (8/9 self-identity as people of Color). The Family Math principles shaped and informed how data were collected and analyzed. Preliminary outcomes demonstrate that math can be accessible, hands-on, and culturally responsive when conceptualized through family-educator collaborative interactions.

Authors

• Cristina C. Santamaria Graff, Indiana University - Indianapolis

• Jeremy F. Price, Indiana University - Indianapolis