Prioritizing social emotional development in a virtual STEM program amid COVID-19: A community cultural wealth model

• In Event: Strength-Based Approaches to Cultivate Social and Emotional Skills and Ethical Character in Middle School Students

Abstract

Focus/Problem:
There is a growing need to make science learning accessible for more populations of students. Out-of-school time (OST) programs have been linked to positive academic and pedagogical impacts such as increased participation in advanced science courses (Author, 2018; Young, 2018); broadening of novel teaching practices in multicultural contexts (Author, 2017; Sheppard, 2011); improved access to participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) (Author, 2019; Young et al., 2017), and development of strong STEM identities (Ortiz et al., 2020). Community-based OST programs foster positive relationships amongst youth and adults (Allen et al., 2017); broaden participation in STEM and the workforce through relevant instruction, reflection, and youth voice (Shah et al., 2018).

Research Context and Participants:
We employed Yosso’s (2005) community cultural wealth model to explore the development of an online community amid uncertain times resulting from COVID-19. The project team redesigned the I AM STEM curriculum to humanize the virtual learning space by focusing on children’s social emotional development. The research occurred during a 4-week STEM program for K-12 students offered 100% online to 300+ students nationally. Of the 300, 264 identified as Black/African American, 10 Biracial, 13 Latinx, and 13 Caucasian.

With the risk of the pandemic further widening the racial gap in STEM education, I AM STEM went virtual during the summer of 2020 to ensure continued programming. The partnered work involved certified and pre-service teachers, faculty, and community members. The program provided access to quality academic enrichment to moderate the effects of school closures on traditionally underserved populations. Study participants included a purposive sample of teachers, students, and parents who engaged in focus group interviews.

Research Questions:
1. What specific approaches did I AM STEM program organizers and teachers employ to address the social emotional development of youth amid COVID-19?
2. To what extent did I AM STEM leverage cultural wealth to foster an online community?

Research Design:
Data sources included program artifacts (recordings, projects, and lesson plans), reflections, and semi-structured focus group interviews. Researchers conducted close readings and identified emerging themes in response to the research questions (Riessman, 2005). We identified passages of interest that were linked by common themes or ideas and created nodes in NVIVO (Charmaz, 2014). Each transcript underwent line-by-line coding initially using an inductive analysis approach to determine nodes emerging from the data (Charmaz, 2006). The researcher categorized the data and captured emerging themes and theoretical codes.

Findings/Conclusions:
Preliminary findings from analysis of the transcripts and lesson plans revealed the importance of leveraging the community cultural wealth of teachers, students, and their families during online instruction by incorporating standards-aligned curricula on COVID-19, discussion of systemic racial injustice, and the contributions of Black and Latinx scholars in STEM. This culturally sustaining approach nurtured the development of healing spaces that embraced African American educational ideologies and connected learning to freedom, citizenship, and literacy. Reflections revealed that I AM STEM humanized hard sciences and a tech-dependent experience by ensuring that STEM learning was integrated with supportive, caring practices that promoted agency, belonging, and self-awareness.

Authors

• Natalie S. King, Georgia State University
  Presenting Author

• Melanie Acosta, Florida Atlantic University
  Non-Presenting Author