Project Visibility: Understanding the Experiences of Black Students in Active Learning Mathematics Courses in a Hispanic-Serving Institution Context

Florida International University, Miami FL

Investigators

Abstract

This project aims to serve the national interest by establishing practices that improve the experiences of Black students in active learning mathematics courses at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). This Level 2, Engaged Student Learning Track project will investigate the experiences of Black students in lower-division mathematics courses and design interventions that address barriers for student success in order to create supportive learning environments in these courses. Research shows that the use of student-centered, active learning techniques in introductory STEM courses leads to improved student outcomes. However, despite these improvements, achievement gaps still persist for racially minoritized students. This issue is highlighted for Black students attending HSIs where they may experience cultural mismatches and hostility through lack of support and minimal interaction with peers. Understanding the experiences of Black students in these courses is essential for creating support mechanisms and classroom structures that support the engagement and success of these students. This project will take place at Florida International University (FIU), a research-intensive HSI. Since 25% of all Black students in the US are enrolled at HSIs, FIU is an ideal setting for advancing the knowledge of experiences of Black students at these institutions who are enrolled in mathematics courses where they are expected to engage with their peers. The results of this project will inform classroom and instructional practices impacting more than 14,000 students enrolled each year in lower-division mathematics courses. Additionally, the investigation of Black students’ experiences and the resulting knowledge will serve to support more active learning approaches and efforts for equity and inclusion in mathematics courses at FIU and other higher education institutions. The project, conducted in multiple phases, will investigate Black students’ experiences in active learning introductory mathematics courses and create interventions with the goal of creating supportive learning environments. The investigation of student experiences will be conducted during the first qualitative phase of the project using interviews with Black students enrolled in mathematics courses which implement high levels of active learning and peer interaction. The goal for this phase will be to explore feelings of visibility and sense of belonging among these students in order to identify themes that will be used for the next phase of co-designing interventions with students. During the second phase, the findings from the initial phase will be discussed with students and Learning Assistants during focus groups to brainstorm potential interventions. As these interventions are designed, focus groups will be used to continually gain feedback and perspectives from students to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions. The final phase will pilot, test, and evaluate the interventions. Results and findings from each phase will be disseminated to the mathematics and STEM education community to inform efforts to implement inclusive practices intended to lead to Black students feeling supported, acknowledged, and engaged. The NSF IUSE: EDU Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.