SoundOFF: Equity Through Mathematics: Everyone's Responsibility

Judith E. Jacobs

doi:10.5951/mt.76.7.0463

A day of immersive physiology experiments increases knowledge and excitement towards physiology and scientific careers in Native American students

AJP Advances in Physiology Education ◽

10.1152/advan.00165.2016 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 41 (1) ◽

pp. 137-144 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Bryan K. Becker ◽

Alicia M. Schiller ◽

Irving H. Zucker ◽

Eric A. Eager ◽

Liliana P. Bronner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Native American ◽

Native Americans ◽

South Dakota ◽

Minority Groups ◽

Underserved Populations ◽

Medical Center ◽

Health Science ◽

Stem Fields ◽

Scientific Careers ◽

And Mathematics

Underserved minority groups are disproportionately absent from the pursuit of careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. One such underserved population, Native Americans, are particularly underrepresented in STEM fields. Although recent advocacy and outreach designed toward increasing minority involvement in health care-related occupations have been mostly successful, little is known about the efficacy of outreach programs in increasing minority enthusiasm toward careers in traditional scientific professions. Furthermore, very little is known about outreach among Native American schools toward increasing involvement in STEM. We collaborated with tribal middle and high schools in South Dakota and Nebraska through a National Institutes of Health Science Education Partnership Award to hold a day-long physiology, activity-based event to increase both understanding of physiology and enthusiasm to scientific careers. We recruited volunteer biomedical scientists and trainees from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Nebraska Wesleyan University, and University of South Dakota. To evaluate the effectiveness of the day of activities, 224 of the ~275–300 participating students completed both a pre- and postevent evaluation assessment. We observed increases in both students self-perceived knowledge of physiology and enthusiasm toward scientific career opportunities after the day of outreach activities. We conclude that activity-based learning opportunities in underserved populations are effective in increasing both knowledge of science and interest in scientific careers.

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A Forum for Researchers: Coloring the Equation: Minorities and Mathematics

Journal for Research in Mathematics Education ◽

10.5951/jresematheduc.14.1.0070 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 70-72

Author(s):

Westina Matthews

Keyword(s):

Native Americans ◽

Mathematics Achievement ◽

Secondary School ◽

Minority Groups ◽

Achievement Tests ◽

Sociocultural Factors ◽

Hard Evidence ◽

And Mathematics

It has been well established that beginning with secondary school, certain minority groups (e.g., blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans) are neither enrolling in mathematics classes as frequently as their white counterparts nor scoring as high on mathematics achievement tests (Anick, Carpenter, & Smith, 1981). Researchers have sought to explain these discrepancies. Reasons such as discrimination and sociocultural factors have been suggested. These explanations are plausible and may be accurate, but there is little hard evidence available to support them.

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Field Experience and Prospective Teachers' Mathematical Knowledge and Beliefs

Journal for Research in Mathematics Education ◽

10.5951/jresematheduc.48.2.0148 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 48 (2) ◽

pp. 148-190 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Erik D. Jacobson

Keyword(s):

Prospective Teachers ◽

Mathematical Knowledge ◽

Field Experience ◽

Mathematics Learning ◽

Future Research ◽

Prospective Elementary Teachers ◽

Knowledge And Beliefs ◽

And Mathematics ◽

Education And Development ◽

The Relationship

This study (n = 1,044) used data from the Teacher Education and Development Study in Mathematics (TEDS-M) to examine the relationship between field experience focus (instruction- or exploration-focused), duration, and timing (early or not) and prospective elementary teachers' intertwined knowledge and beliefs about mathematics and mathematics learning. Early instruction-focused field experience (i.e., leading directly to classroom instruction) was positively related to the study outcomes in programs with such field experience of median or shorter duration. Moreover, the duration of instruction-focused field experience was positively related to study outcomes in programs without early instruction-focused field experience. By contrast, the duration of exploration-focused field experience (e.g., observation) was not related to the study outcomes. These findings suggest that field experience has important but largely overlooked relationships with prospective teachers' mathematical knowledge and beliefs. Implications for future research are discussed.

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Old Problem, New Perspectives: Applying Anzaldúan Concepts to Underrepresentation in STEM

Journal of Career Development ◽

10.1177/0894845320901797 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 089484532090179

Author(s):

Ellen Hawley McWhirter ◽

Rachel Gali Cinamon

Keyword(s):

Stem Education ◽

Minority Groups ◽

Skills Training ◽

Ethnic Minority Groups ◽

Stem Fields ◽

Top Down ◽

Work Settings ◽

Science Technology ◽

Information Awareness ◽

And Mathematics

Women and members of many ethnic minority groups continue to be significantly underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and work settings. In this article, we propose that Gloria Anzaldúa’s concepts of nepantla and nepantleras/os can be used to enrich perspectives on underrepresentation among those studying, working, and persisting in STEM fields. We describe how diversity practices may fail to address and foster inclusion in STEM education and workplaces and link inclusion and belonging to engagement and retention in STEM. Recommendations are offered for combining top-down and bottom-up strategies providing information, awareness, and skills training in STEM environments, including recognizing and engaging the insights and experiences of nepantleras/os.

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Cultural Contexts in Science and Mathematics Teaching to Young Children

Multicultural Learning and Teaching ◽

10.1515/mlt-2019-0006 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Gina C. Obiakor ◽

Kristen E. Obiakor ◽

Charles C. Obiakor ◽

Festus E. Obiakor

Keyword(s):

Teacher Preparation ◽

Mathematics Teaching ◽

Mathematical Knowledge ◽

Teaching Science ◽

National Origin ◽

Innovative Teaching ◽

Cultural Contexts ◽

Language And Gender ◽

And Gender ◽

And Mathematics

AbstractScience and mathematics have international and global origins and impacts that are intertwined with national origin, race, culture, religion, language, and gender, to mention a few. This means that scientific and mathematical knowledge goes beyond myopic narrow confines. Put another way, teaching science and mathematics without explicating their phenomenal foundations and influences is tantamount to “scotching the snake, but not killing it.” In this article, we use cases to discuss cultural contexts in teaching science and mathematics. Embedded in our discussion are issues of teacher preparation, innovative teaching, and disparities in public health and environmental health.

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An Ethnomathematical Perspective of STEM Education in a Glocalized World

Bolema Boletim de Educação Matemática ◽

10.1590/1980-4415v35n70a14 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 35 (70) ◽

pp. 840-876

Author(s):

Milton Rosa ◽

Daniel Clark Orey

Keyword(s):

Stem Education ◽

Mathematical Knowledge ◽

Transformative Pedagogy ◽

Mathematical Practices ◽

Making Sense ◽

Pedagogical Action ◽

Science Technology ◽

Modelling Problem ◽

And Mathematics ◽

School Curricula

Abstract An Ethnomathematics-based curriculum helps students demonstrate consistent mathematical processes as they reason, solve problems, communicate ideas, and choose appropriate representations through the development of daily mathematical practices. As well, it recognizes connections with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Our pedagogical work, in relation to STEM Education, is based on the Trivium Curriculum for mathematics and ethnomodelling, which provides communicative, analytical, material, and technological tools to the development of emic, etic, and dialogic approaches that are necessary for the elaboration of the school curricula. STEM Education facilitates pedagogical action that connects ethnomathematics; mathematical modelling, problem-solving, critical judgment, and making sense of mathematical and non-mathematical environments, which involves distinct ways of thinking, reasoning, and developing mathematical knowledge in distinct sociocultural contexts. The ethnomathematical perspective for STEM Education proposed here provides a transformative pedagogy that exposes its power to transform students into critical and reflective citizens in order to enable them to transform society in a glocalized world.

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SOUTH AFRICAN TEACHERS’ MATHEMATICAL KNOWLEDGE: REFLECTIONS FROM SHORT LEARNING INTERVENTION PROGRAMME (SLIP)

Problems of Education in the 21st Century ◽

10.33225/pec/19.77.705 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 77 (6) ◽

pp. 705-721

Author(s):

Loyiso C. Jita ◽

Olugbenga Adedayo Ige

Keyword(s):

South African ◽

Content Knowledge ◽

Lesson Study ◽

Mathematical Knowledge ◽

Mathematical Knowledge For Teaching ◽

Study Groups ◽

Intervention Programme ◽

Knowledge For Teaching ◽

Learning Intervention ◽

And Mathematics

This qualitative research reports the results of a short learning intervention programme conducted by South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) Chair in Science and Mathematics Education to enhance the mathematical knowledge of teachers in some South African schools. The short learning programme comprised the fostering of teachers’ mathematical knowledge and the formation of lesson study groups to apply the knowledge gained from the intervention programme in different schools in the country. The sample comprised 53 male and 72 female Mathematics teachers who were nominated from several school districts in the country. The participants were trained using Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT) which included the topics of probability/ratio and proportion (grades 1-9). The MKT consisted of these sets of expertise: Common Content Knowledge (CCK), Specialised Content Knowledge (SCK), Knowledge of Contents and Students (KCS), and Knowledge of Content and Teaching (KCT). The lesson study groups applied the knowledge acquired from the short learning intervention programme to engage in group activities, lesson studies, and to report the major challenges in doing the lesson studies. This model research comprised three stages: the first stage involved active participation in the workshops that took place at the University of the Free State; the teachers that attended the training workshops implemented the knowledge gained in the respective schools in their districts in the second stage; and the third stage involved the compilation and submission of a Portfolio of Evidence (PoE) by the teachers that participated in the training workshops. Keywords: mathematical knowledge, short learning intervention programme, South African teachers.

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The Journey to and After Alcatraz: The Legacy of the Occupation of Alcatraz for Native American Protest Movements

Mount Royal Undergraduate Humanities Review (MRUHR) ◽

10.29173/mruhr110 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2 ◽

Author(s):

Maureen Ly

Keyword(s):

Native American ◽

Native Americans ◽

Civil Rights ◽

Civil Rights Movement ◽

Minority Groups ◽

The United States ◽

American Government ◽

Government Action ◽

National Debate ◽

The Government

The Occupation of Alcatraz was a movement in 1969, which sparked National Debate in the United States. The Occupation lasted from 20, November 1969 till June 1971 when 15 last occupiers were peacefully escorted off the island. The protest did not end with a change in government policy but inspired other protests and an activist group to be created for Native American rights. Reflecting on why the occupation at Alcatraz was ineffective, Vine Deloria, Jr. argued in 1994, “we want change, but we do not know what change.” Deloria was a well-known activist during the 1960s and was invited to the island of Alcatraz during its occupation. The Occupation of Alcatraz was seen as an unsuccessful protest because it did not spur government action to address Native American grievances. The occupation occurred at a time when tensions between minority groups and the government were rising due to the civil rights movement. Native Americans were forcibly removed from reserves due to relocation and assimilation programs, and land was being taken away for resources as well. The Occupation was a response to what seemed to be the continuous cycle of abuse from the American government. Termination and assimilation policies divided and separated families and tribes, which created disconnections among Native Americans, making it hard to unify against the American government. Though the Occupation did not end with government action or policy change, it started a collaboration of Native American protests, which revived Native American identities for many people. Native Americans’ reactions to federal suppression at the Occupation of Alcatraz led to a legacy of protests that changed Native American life.

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Discrimination and resentment: examining American attitudes about Native Americans

The Journal of Race Ethnicity and Politics ◽

10.1017/rep.2021.23 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-28

Author(s):

Raymond Foxworth ◽

Carew Boulding

Keyword(s):

Native American ◽

Public Opinion ◽

Native Americans ◽

Race And Ethnicity ◽

Political Ideology ◽

Minority Groups ◽

Original Data ◽

Small Population ◽

Factual Knowledge

Abstract What shapes Americans' attitudes toward and about Native Americans? Public opinion research acknowledges that race and ethnicity are a factor in shaping US public opinion. Native Americans have been almost entirely excluded from this research. But we do know that, despite being a relatively small population, the general public holds stereotypes and false narratives about Native Americans that have been perpetuated by popular culture, education curriculum, and national myths. In this paper, we use new and original data collected under the Reclaiming Native Truth project to examine the factors that shape attitudes toward Native Americans. More specifically, we examine individual and contextual factors that shape views of discrimination against Native Americans and resentment toward Native Americans. We find that political ideology (liberal versus conservative) and the reliance on Native American stereotypes are factors most consistently associated with resentment and attitudes about Native American discrimination, although direct personal experiences and factual knowledge also matter. Our findings contribute to conversations about attitudes toward racial and ethnic minority groups and emerging scholarship on the role of political attitudes in settler-colonial societies.

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