Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Date

2021

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Instruction & Curriculum Leadership

Committee Chair

Amanda Rockinson-Szapkiw

Committee Member

Andrew Tawfik

Committee Member

Amy Curry

Committee Member

Wideline Seraphin

Abstract

According to the National Science Foundation (2017), women who represent ethnically or racially minoritized backgrounds accounted for only 11% of earned bachelors degrees in science and engineering. To better understand why racially minoritized women do not choose to pursue or fail to persist in STEM programs, one must delve into the intersectional barriers that create and contribute to these disincentives. Using a qualitative, field-based learning experience design following a multi-site case study approach, this study examined racially minoritized female STEM students' experiences within a virtual peer mentoring training program. The aim was to determine how, if at all, the training program design and the experience within the training influenced STEM mentors and mentees cultural responsivity. The participants involved in this study were racially minoritized women recruited from STEM programs across two institutions and were selected to participate in a self-paced virtual training program. Data extrapolated from one-on-one interviews paired with information gathered from the pluralistic walkthrough provided justification and contextual, narrative support for how the training experience influenced the participants' cultural responsiveness. Four themes emerged through a categorical and thematic analysis that helped situate the training experience and its internal components to affect participants' cultural responsivity: (a) mentoring as a conduit for giving back and catalyst for belonging, (b) reflective practice to acknowledge differences and promote awareness, (c) interactive instructional design elements as a measure of mastery, and (d) culturally responsive curriculum and aesthetics. The findings of this study push the limits of current learning experience design research through the applied incorporation of cultural and socioemotional components into instructional design practices aimed at supporting diverse learners.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest

Download

Share

COinS