Exploring the Influence of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy on Undergraduate General Chemistry Students’ Interest in Chemistry

• In Event: AERA Research-in-Progress Roundtable Session 1
  In Invited Roundtable: Understanding Race, Gender, Identity, Cultural Relevance and Sense of Belonging in STEM Education (Table 1)

Abstract

General chemistry is required for advancement in most STEM degree programs, but unfortunately, many students leave STEM programs after taking introductory chemistry. Instructors’ use of culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) may increase students’ positive experiences in general chemistry by centering their identities and backgrounds. As such, two aims motivate my mixed methods dissertation research: (1) to explore the implementation of CRP in an undergraduate general chemistry course and (2) to understand to what extent CRP influences students’ interest in chemistry. This work in progress focuses on the quantitative strand of my study. A pre/post survey (n=700) design is used to investigate how CRP in a large-enrollment, coordinated general chemistry course impacts students’ interest in the subject.

Authors

• Destinee Johnson Cooper, Clemson University

• Matthew K. Voigt, Michigan State University