Constructing Educational Opportunities Through Transformative Discussions With Early Adolescent Black Girls

• In Event: Thursday Roundtable Session 2:30 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Understanding Race Through Cultural Historical Theory in School Settings and Beyond (Table 2)

Abstract

Responding to the need for culturally responsive social and emotional learning opportunities for adolescent Black girls, this study was situated in the Vygotskyan tradition to examine socially constructed knowledge and psychological development within adult-facilitated, peer-based discussions surrounding challenging and complex issues (i.e., transformative discussions). With adult facilitators, two groups of early adolescent Black girls (grades 5-7) engaged in a final, reflective discussion at the end of a series of discussions. Theory-based coding and elaborative coding led to identification of nine sources of knowledge; 11 higher order psychological processes; and patterns in sources of knowledge used to support various higher order psychological processes. This revealed the construction of educational possibilities through transformative discussions with Black girls.

Authors

• Rebekah Pollock, Georgia State University

• Ann C. Kruger, Georgia State University