Toward inclusive digital education in Canada: reflection and meaning-making of lack of Black and Indigenous students in STEM

• In Event: Benefits and challenges of inclusive education in underserved communities: Applying cultural responsiveness to mitigate educational barriers

Proposal

Situated in low-resource communities, there is evidence to show that the Ontario government's plan for the 2020–21 school year neglected to account for the unique needs and experiences of children, which exacerbated racial and ability-based disparities in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Statement of the Problem
The present research focuses on Black and Indigenous students, who make up a disproportionately small number of students in the STEM field due in large part to a lack of confidence to partake in STEM. This situation is due to feeling out of place and financial barriers. In my experience, these students are discriminated against in the classroom and are sent to the principal's office as punishment for displaying behaviours, when they are not acting inappropriately for their culture. I see the structural and systemic challenges embedded in the educational system have continued to bar Black and Indigenous students from participating in STEM. Being a Black educator, I was perturbed by the low achievement of schools;. therefore, I asked the following questions to guide my study:

Research Questions
How does my social Identity and lived experience as a Black educator influence my emotions toward the lack of Black and Indigenous students in STEM?
How will decolonizing education support Black and Indigenous students in participating more in STEM?
What are the impacts of my not advocating enough for students who had no voice?

Theoretical framework
The theoretical framework that underpins my research is culturally responsive online pedagogy. This framework will give insight into what school leadership can do to support Black and Indigenous students' thriving in digital education and, consequently, STEM.

Methodology
I undertook qualitative research using the Autoethnography approach. Autoethnography allowed me to draw on my experiences as an educator working at a school with a significant racialized and lower-income population.

Data collection
I kept journals of my observations and recorded memos about my internal conflicts for analysis on my smartphone. I later transferred it to a spreadsheet log of observations. I did emotional coding and narrative analysis.

Reflexive/Reflection
I acknowledged how my implicit and explicit bias have influenced my work. I used triangulation to examine myself and make useful contrasts and comparisons between my internal and exterior thoughts.

Conclusion
By decolonizing knowledge and enriching curricula to cater to students of diverse cultures in Canada that are highly diversified in culture, Black and Indigenous students can succeed academically and thrive in STEM. Enrolling in STEM courses is essential for tackling some of the world's most urgent issues, such as environmental sustainability, climate change, and food security.

Author

• Lilian Lotechi Obazei, University of Toronto