STEM Sin Fronteras: Bridging Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies, Chicana Feminist and DisCrit Perspectives in Third Space STEM Education for Latinx Youth

• In Event: STEM Education and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy: Envisioning New Horizons in Teacher Preparation for Student Liberation

Abstract

Objectives or Purposes
This ethnographic study explores how culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) fosters inclusive STEM learning environments for Latinx students, particularly those with disabilities, in an out-of-school-time (OST) FIRST LEGO League robotics program. Drawing from Chicana Feminist Epistemologies (CFE) and DisCrit theory, this research investigates the creation of a Third Space where students' identities, languages, and ways of knowing are acknowledged and affirmed. The study is guided by two central research questions:
1. In what ways do the principles of CSP develop within a Third Space STEM learning environment?
2. What are the impacts on Latinx youth and youth with disabilities in terms of STEM development and engagement?
Theoretical Framework
The study is grounded in a framework that integrates CSP, CFE, and DisCrit theory. CFE emphasizes the centrality of marginalized voices, particularly those of women of color, while DisCrit critiques ableist and racist ideologies that shape education, centering the lived experiences of youth with disabilities. Together, these frameworks support an understanding of STEM learning that is not only academically rigorous but culturally and linguistically sustaining. The concept of Third Space provides a lens for analyzing how culturally rooted and academic forms of knowledge come together to support identity, agency, and meaningful participation in STEM.
Data Sources and Methodology
This qualitative study utilized a multimodal ethnographic design, including:
• Ethnographic field notes
• Video recordings of robotics sessions
• Formal and informal interviews and discussions
• Student artifacts (e.g., engineering notebooks, robot designs)
• Reflective journaling by researchers
These data sources enabled a holistic view of students’ experiences, aligned with the values of CSP and the asset-based approaches of CFE and DisCrit.
Data Analysis
Data were analyzed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022), chosen for its flexibility in interpreting meaning across qualitative sources. Our recursive analysis process included immersion in the data, open coding, and the development of thematic patterns tied to culturally sustaining practices, language use, identity expression, and peer collaboration. We examined how students' engagement with robotics intersected with their linguistic and cultural practices, allowing us to surface rich, transformative dynamics present in this CSP-informed space.
Findings and Results
Our findings show that students’ translanguaging practices (Spanish and English) served as powerful tools for communication, collaboration, and STEM problem-solving. Rather than being barriers, these practices enhanced technical learning and social interaction. English was often used for STEM-specific terms, while Spanish supported emotional expression, peer bonding, and community building. Students displayed increased leadership, agency, and identity affirmation, illustrating how OST spaces grounded in CSP principles can support both technical growth and cultural empowerment. These environments allowed students to thrive because their identities were honored.
Significance
This study offers important implications for educators, OST providers, and policymakers committed to equity in STEM. It challenges traditional Eurocentric models and calls for multilingual, multimodal, and culturally sustaining approaches to STEM education—both in and beyond the classroom. Creating Third Spaces rooted in CSP can cultivate inclusive STEM pathways that honor educational roots and support the cultivation of liberatory teaching futures.

Authors

• Rachel G. Salas, University of Nevada - Reno

• Lizeth I. Lizarraga, University of Texas at Austin