The Development and Validation of an Asset-Based Measure That Conceptualizes Mathematics Identity Through Black Girlhood

• In Event: Dismantling Conclusive Blackness: Countering the Deterministic Role That Assessment Plays in K–12 Education

Abstract

There is a notable gap in academia shedding light on mathematics identity development for Black girls. MICMI is critical to mathematics education and sociological research, because it inclusively measures engagement in mathematics identity to instill cultural assets (Nasir and Cooks, 2009) that transform Black girls’ social, emotional, and learning development in mathematics education. Kimberlé Crenshaw (1989, 1991) introduced the term intersectionality as an analytic concept to address the complex latent power relations that shape the lives of women of color, and Black women in particular. We grasped that creating a multifactor measure that centers Black girls in mathematics allows us to theorize about the multidimensional and complex realities Black girls face in their mathematics education trajectories. Through intersectionality theory, Crenshaw demonstrates that Black women and girls experiences cannot be understood on a single-axis analysis (Crenshaw, 1989; Halliday, 2019) as the theory encapsulates the power to generate and reform methodological arguments, dilemmas, and paradigms on a basis of social science inquiry and critical theorizing (Bhattacharya, 2017; Collins, 2019; Crenshaw 1989, 1991). We will focus on Black girls’ qualitative stories and perspective by designing an asset-based assessment in listening to young Black girls as they identify intersectionality-assets they bring when learning about math. To understand conceptualization of mathematics identity for Black girls, MICMI created a three-factor model that measures mathematics identity, intersectionality-barriers, and intersectionality-assets for Black girls. MICMI is anchored in intersectionality theory as it includes new constructs (e.g intersectionality-assets and intersectionality barriers) that disrupts traditional psychrometric processes as we aim to not only meet reliability and validity standards, but to account for the intersectional differences within the population as well. Ergo, this imperative research study and measure will decrease obscurity for teachers and educators while placing Black girls’ in their wheelhouse as knowledge producers of their mathematical narrative and future.

Authors

• Elizabeth Anderson, Embraced Wisdom Resource Group

• Nicole M. Joseph, Vanderbilt University

• Fradely Delacruz, Embraced Wisdom Resource Group