Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Truong, Van Vu Cam

Titel

Bridging the Gap Between Urban Adolescent Females of Color and STEM: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study

Ort / Verlag

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses

Erscheinungsjahr

2020

Quelle

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses A&I

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• There is a vast amount of literature documenting the need to diversify the United States science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and the need to recruit more skilled workers to fill STEM positions. One common theme among studies is the disproportionately low number of females of color in STEM educational programs and careers. Research continues to overlook the importance of females of color in STEM, particularly in terms of systemic and structural inequities in education and racial and ethnic and gender differences in the fields of STEM. This study will contribute to the neglected area by presenting findings from a qualitative study utilizing data from an out-of-school (OST) STEM program that targets mid (ages fifteen through seventeen) and late (ages eighteen through twenty-one) adolescent females of color in a northeastern city in the United States. This study explored the perspectives of urban adolescent females of color and how participation in an informal learning environment has shaped their STEM learning, participation in STEM activities, and persistent interest in pursuing STEM careers through the lens of critical race theory grounded in education and feminism, intersectionality, and situated learning theory. The research questions that this study addresses are: (1) How do urban adolescent females of color who attended an OST STEM program describe their perceptions about the barriers and challenges they have faced in STEM?; (2) How did participating in an OST STEM program influence urban adolescent females of color perceptions of their ability to do science and mathematics?; (3) How do urban adolescent females of color who attended an OST STEM program understand STEM career pathways?; and (4) How do the lived experiences of urban adolescent females of color who participated in an OST STEM program influence their personal interest in pursuing STEM educational programs and professions? Qualitative data included individual interviews, observations, document review, and journaling. The goal of this study was to identify important factors that promote STEM interest and help build females of color capacities to engage in STEM-related activities. The findings in this study suggested that urban females of color interested in STEM are inspired and encouraged to participate in STEM educational programs and career activities by both internal and external factors. Notable findings of the data collected in this study include the following: 1. Parents, particularly mothers, school-teachers, and STEM program leaders had the most influence on urban females of color interest and participation in STEM. The participants reported that they were influenced to pursue STEM educational programs by their mothers and STEM teachers, particularly female of color teachers. 2. The OST STEM program supported urban females of color learning of STEM subjects, access to STEM career activities, and personal and social development. The participants made references to the factors that positively impacted their participation in the OST STEM program: exposure to informal STEM learning; flexibility in learning; access to STEM mentors, role models, and peer support networks; opportunities to work as a student intern in the STEM fields; increased self-awareness and confidence through social engagement activities; and opportunities to travel. 3. Factors such as racial and ethnic bias, gender bias, disparities in access to K-12 STEM education and activities, negative STEM perceptions, and discouragement from teachers decreased urban females of color early childhood interest and participation in STEM. These factors are collectively known as STEM barriers for urban adolescent females of color. The participants made references to the factors that negatively impacted their STEM educational experiences around the lack of exposure to STEM learning, quality teachers, support systems, and access to STEM program and career awareness opportunities in K-12. 4. The findings from this study show that there is a need to develop STEM pathways beginning in primary grade levels and continuing on to secondary grade levels that focuses on building a strong mathematics and science foundation and ensuring racial and ethnic equity. Overall, the findings in this study provide guidance to policy makers, district leaders, educators, STEM program leaders, parents, business leaders, and researchers to support the advancement of urban adolescent females of color in STEM. The findings may be implemented in other OST STEM programs to recruit and retain urban females of color in earlier years. More specifically, application of the aforementioned factors in K-12 education and OST STEM programs add to the potential for bridging the gap between females of color and STEM.