skip to main content

Attention:

The NSF Public Access Repository (NSF-PAR) system and access will be unavailable from 11:00 PM ET on Friday, September 13 until 2:00 AM ET on Saturday, September 14 due to maintenance. We apologize for the inconvenience.


This content will become publicly available on April 15, 2025

Title: Fam Jam STEM & Bridging Practices: Fostering Rightful Familial Presence in Middle School STEM
This study investigates instructional practices that support rightful familial presence in STEM as a mechanism to address the continued racial/class gap in STEM achievement for historically marginalized students. We define rightful familial presence as a form of authentic family engagement that 1) legitimizes families’ community cultural capital, and 2) fosters capital movement between families and schools, especially when these forms of capital have historically been marginalized within STEM learning. We ask: What practices grounded in research-practice-partnerships support rightful familial presence, and how do these practices facilitate capital movement between families and schools for STEM teaching and learning?  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2201083
NSF-PAR ID:
10532626
Author(s) / Creator(s):
;
Publisher / Repository:
American Education Research Association
Date Published:
Format(s):
Medium: X
Location:
Philadelphia, PA
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. This study investigates research and instructional practices that support rightful familial presence in STEM to address the continued racial/class inequities in STEM learning. We ask: What practices grounded in research-practice-partnerships support rightful familial presence, and how do these practices facilitate capital movement between families and schools for STEM teaching and learning? 
    more » « less
  2. Broadening participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is critical to the nation’s economic growth and national security. In K–12 and higher education, researchers and educators increasingly employ the concept of social capital to develop programs for improving STEM learning, motivation, and participation of young students. STEM social capital in education comprises STEM-oriented resources—whether instrumental, informational, or emotional—that students access through their social networks. Major theoretical perspectives, research evidence, and promising practices are associated with the concepts of social capital in STEM education. Students’ social capital in STEM education (derived from families, peers, teachers, and professional networks) demonstrably promotes their STEM educational outcomes and career paths. Inclusive STEM schools, mentoring, and after-school programs are some promising approaches that can enhance STEM social capital and outcomes of underrepresented students, particularly women, Blacks/Hispanics/Native Americans, youth with low socioeconomic status, and persons with disabilities. 
    more » « less
  3. In this related paper set, our goal was to advance a more holistic vision of equity and social justice in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education by drawing attention to an often-overlooked social asset for learners—their families. While families are usually secondary in discussions of equity in STEM education, a growing number of researchers have highlighted the need to consider and partner with families to establish anti-racist, asset-based educational practices in both informal and formal learning environments. In this related paper set, the first two papers directly challenge the ways deficit-based perceptions of families from historically marginalized communities undermine the critical role that family members play in supporting youth STEM engagement, learning, and identity development. In the second two papers, investigators examine how educators and researchers can use insights from families to inform the design of learning environments inside and outside of school. Collectively, the four papers emphasize the critical importance of working with families to address inequities in STEM education and demonstrate the unique opportunities for envisioning new learning possibilities through these partnerships. 
    more » « less
  4. In this related paper set, our goal was to advance a more holistic vision of equity and social justice in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education by drawing attention to an often-overlooked social asset for learners—their families. While families are usually secondary in discussions of equity in STEM education, a growing number of researchers have highlighted the need to consider and partner with families to establish anti-racist, asset-based educational practices in both informal and formal learning environments. In this related paper set, the first two papers directly challenge the ways deficit-based perceptions of families from historically marginalized communities undermine the critical role that family members play in supporting youth STEM engagement, learning, and identity development. In the second two papers, investigators examine how educators and researchers can use insights from families to inform the design of learning environments inside and outside of school. Collectively, the four papers emphasize the critical importance of working with families to address inequities in STEM education and demonstrate the unique opportunities for envisioning new learning possibilities through these partnerships. 
    more » « less
  5. Objective: Identify the role(s) and support(s), if any, that family members provide to first-generation and historically marginalized doctoral students, including strengths and challenges of this support. Background: Nonfinancial family support is important for the success and retention of first-generation and historically marginalized graduate students. More empirical studies of the role(s) and support of family members of these doctoral students are needed. Method: During an intervention designed for firstgeneration and historically marginalized doctoral students and their families, we conducted four focus groups with doctoral students (n = 22) and three focus groups with the family members they chose to accompany them (n = 15). Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Two themes emerged from the data: support and connection. In addition to providing distinct types of support, families play both supportive and connective roles. There are challenges to family roles and support in areas such as communication, doctoral student stress, and different ways that family members and doctoral students think about and approach life. Conclusion: The study provided key insights to understanding the roles and support of family of doctoral students; more efforts are needed across graduate schools in the United States. Implications: Family science faculty and graduate schools may collaborate to provide meaningful interventions for graduate students and their families for the goal of promoting graduate student retention and success. 
    more » « less