Using Asset-Based Approaches to Boost STEM Identity Among Low-income High School Students

• In Event: New Advances in Asset-Based Interventions in Educational Settings

Abstract

Objective
Despite attempts to enhance the number of students from historically underrepresented groups in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers, including those from low-income backgrounds, there is still a disproportionate number of individuals in academic STEM careers from high socioeconomic backgrounds (Morgan et al., 2022; Stansbury & Rodriguez, 2024). Certain approaches to enhancing a student’s STEM identity through social psychological methods can inadvertently promote deficit-based perspectives by aiming to “fix” perceived deficiencies in students' abilities (e.g., boosting academic performance in STEM courses or standardized tests) rather than recognizing and amplifying their existing strengths. As a result, the goal of this pilot study was to examine if using an asset-based curriculum—one that emphasizes and activates the inherent strengths and cultural assets of students’ backgrounds and lived experiences—could boost the STEM identity of low-income students by shifting from individual-level remediation to empowerment.

Methods
This study used pre-post quantitative surveys to examine the curriculum intervention's efficacy in promoting STEM identity through asset-based approaches. Participants were students who met each of the following criteria: (1) from a low-income background based on total parental income and/or the first generation in their family to pursue higher education (i.e., neither parent possesses an undergraduate degree from a U.S. institution); (2) current high school students at the start of the program; (3) no prior research experience; (4) attending a high school with limited STEM opportunities or in an area where academic opportunities are scarce, as indicated by indices from GreatSchools.org and the Opportunity Index. The program involved weekly workshops led by a PhD student discussing various STEM topics, showcasing how students can leverage their personal experiences to generate meaningful scientific questions, and how to address those questions through a tangible research project. Workshops were designed using principles from identity-based motivation theory and growth mindset to highlight how a student’s background aligns with scientific processes and how these can be nurtured and developed (Fink et al., 2018; Oyserman & Destin, 2010).
Baseline quantitative data were gathered prior to the start of the program, using validated STEM identity and confidence items (McDonald et al., 2019; Vincent-Ruz & Schunn, 2018), and were measured again upon completing the program in the summer. The surveys aimed to gauge if students’ self-perceptions regarding STEM identity and their confidence in acquiring scientific skills had increased. Eighty-seven students were recruited for the study, but the analysis reported here includes only those who completed both pre- and post-surveys (N = 40).

Results
Paired t-tests comparing pre-scores with post-scores revealed a statistically significant increase in STEM identity and confidence among our pilot participants, with 70% of participants showing an increase in their STEM identity scores following the curriculum program (p < .05) and another 66% showing increased confidence in their science abilities (p < .001). We find preliminary evidence showing that an asset-based curriculum can not only increase students’ STEM identity but also their confidence in learning STEM concepts. Follow-up analysis aims to explore in-depth causal factors and differences among a control group.

Authors

• Gabriel Reyes, Stanford University

• Janet Carlson, Stanford University