INVESTIGATING MINORITY STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN AN AUTHENTIC SCIENCE RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Open Access
- Author:
- Preston, Stephanie Danette
- Graduate Program:
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- July 07, 2009
- Committee Members:
- Carla Zembal Saul, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor
Carla Zembal Saul, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Gregory John Kelly, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Dr Scott Mc Donald, Committee Member
John Daniel Marshall, Committee Member - Keywords:
- learning as cultural practice
underrepresented groups in science
discourse in science
authentic science research experience
authentic practice
sociocultural perspective in science - Abstract:
- In the United States, a problem previously overlooked in increasing the total number of scientifically literate citizens is the lack of diversity in advanced science classes and in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Groups traditionally underserved in science education and thus underrepresented in the STEM fields include: low-income, racial/ethnic minorities, and females of all ethnic and racial backgrounds. Despite the number of these students who are initially interested in science very few of them thrive in the discipline. Some scholars suggest that the declining interest for students underrepresented in science is traceable to K-12th grade learning experiences and access to participating in authentic science. Consequently, the diminishing interest of minorities and women in science contributes negatively to the representation of these groups in the STEM disciplines. The purpose of this study was to investigate a summer science research experience for minority students and the nature of students’ participation in scientific discourse and practices within the context of the research experience. The research questions that guided this study are: The nature of the Summer Experience in Earth and Mineral Science (SEEMS) research experience A. What are the SEEMS intended outcomes? B. To what extent does SEEMS enacted curriculum align with the intended outcomes of the program? The nature of students engagement in the SEEMS research A. In what ways do students make sense of and apply science concepts as they engage in the research (e.g., understand problem, how they interpret data, how they construct explanations), and the extent to which they use the science content appropriately? B. In what ways do students engage in the cultural practices of science, such as using scientific discourse, interpreting inscriptions, and constructing explanations from evidence (engaging in science practices, knowing science and doing science)? The following data sources were used in this study: SEEMS curriculum and documentation, interviews with program staff and participants, TRIO program documentation, Upward Bound Math Science (UBMS) promotional material, and audio/video recordings and field notes of students’ daily interactions in the research setting. Findings revealed that students who participated in the research experience were able to successfully engage in some cultural practices of science, such as using inscriptions, constructing explanations, and collecting data. Analysis and observations of their engagement demonstrated a need for programs similar to SEEMS to focus on: (1) understanding how students make sense of science as they engage in the cultural practices, and (2) incorporating aspects of students’ culture and social practices into the experience.