Scholars have increasingly argued that we need to attend to adolescents’ race, ethnicity, and culture in after-school activities to ensure positive effects. Still, little is known about adolescents’ perceptions of culturally responsive practices in after-school activities (i. e., the use of diverse teaching practices, cultural engagement, and affirming diverse language preferences), including whether they are stable over time and beneficial to Latine adolescents, who are minoritized in U.S. society. Theoretically, culturally responsive practices are expected to help after-school activities meet adolescents’ three basic needs as conceptualized by self-determination theory: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Findings based on 134 Latine adolescents (53% girls, Mage =11.74 years) participating in an afterschool math enrichment activity suggest adolescents’ perceptions of culturally responsive practices in the activity were moderately stable from winter to spring. There were no significant differences in adolescents’ perceptions of culturally responsive practices based on gender or preferred language (i. e., English or Spanish), and significant positive associations emerged between adolescents’ perceptions of diverse teaching practices and their feelings of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. This study offers insights for future theory development in the after-school field, particularly in the context of program quality, culturally responsive practices, and their implications for adolescent development and well-being.
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How youth-staff relationships and program activities promote Latinx adolescent outcomes in a university-community afterschool math enrichment activity
outh-staff relationships and program activities are important elements in designing high- quality afterschool activities that promote a broad range of outcomes. Using a qualitative approach, Latinx adolescents were interviewed (n 1⁄4 28, 50% girls) about their experiences in a university-based afterschool math enrichment activity. Findings under the first goal of the study suggest that Latinx adolescents perceived changes in their math-specific outcomes (e.g., problem-solving skills), future science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) pathways (e.g., envisioning a future career), and social-emotional skills (e.g., relation- ship skills) as a result of participating in the activity. Under the second goal of the study, findings identified the specific practices that adolescents thought promoted those out- comes, including incorporating advanced math concepts and engaging in collaborative learning, engaging in campus tours and informal conversations, and using culturally respon- sive practices. The findings from this study can be leveraged by scholars and educators to design, further strengthen, and evaluate high-quality afterschool activities.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1809208
- PAR ID:
- 10271694
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Applied Developmental Science
- ISSN:
- 1088-8691
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 1 to 19
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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null (Ed.)High-quality afterschool programs (ASPs) are opportunities to diversify the ways that Latinx youth from economically underprivileged communities experience STEM learning. Utilizing qualitative methods, based on the experiences and perspectives of low-income Latinx middle school participants of a math enrichment ASP in Southern California, we identified four culturally responsive practices: (1) the promotion of an inclusive, safe, and respectful program climate, (2) engaging in personal conversations, (3) facilitating opportunities for mutual and math learning across diverse cultures and perspectives, and (4) the promotion of math and a range of social-emotional skills across contexts. These practices helped youth feel more connected to the program, their peers, and program staff (college mentors); provided a platform for youth voice and contribution to the processes of teaching and learning; facilitated opportunities for skill development and practice across the different contexts of youth’s lives; interrelated with Latinx cultural values; and helped to promote youth’s engagement and math learning. Importantly, youth’s relationships with their mentors was a significant aspect of their experiences and perceptions of these practices. We argue that culturally responsive practices are necessary to achieve high-quality programs and provide specific implications for how ASPs can implement them in the design and implementation of their programs.more » « less
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This practice-oriented article presents a comprehensive framework for strengthening cultural responsiveness in afterschool STEM programs, grounded in the design and implementation of Math CEO— a university-community partnership engaging Latinx middle school students in Southern California. The framework centers on six dimensions: student-centered learning, interpersonal relationships, critical thinking, relevance and language, social justice, and cultural diversity. These are applied across three interconnected domains: program structure, curriculum, and pedagogical practices. Through detailed examples and a case study, the article illustrates how culturally responsive practices can be embedded into informal math activities to foster student engagement, cultural identity, and deeper learning. highlights the importance of mentor training and curriculum development as strategies to ensure these practices are applied consistently and sustainably.more » « less
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