NSF Grant to Advance Racial Justice in Elementary Education Mathematics

July 1, 2021 by Rebekah Goode

Black and Latinx parents in urban schools will lead change and advance racial justice in their children’s elementary mathematics classes with the help of a National Science Foundation-funded research project conducted by Frances Harper, assistant professor of STEM and Mathematics Education in the Department of Theory and Practice in Teacher Education.

Harper, who was recently awarded a $697,306 CAREER grant for this project, explains, “Mathematics education research tells us a lot about how to support Black and Latinx children to become confident and capable learners and doers of mathematics. Unfortunately, the politics at play in urban schools and racial stereotypes about mathematics ability make it so that few Black and Latinx children ever have an opportunity to engage with mathematics through those research-based practices.”

Through critical, community-engaged scholarship and in collaboration with ten Black and Latinx families, ten teachers, and two community organizations, the research team will co-design and co-study two educational programs aimed at advancing racial justice in elementary mathematics.

While Black and Latinx families often persist in supporting their individual children, a shift toward collective organizing among parents as change agents in school mathematics is necessary for meeting the needs of every student. This project explores possibilities for localized change lead by parents. By making explicit how to foster and increase Black and Latinx parents’ engagement in solidarity with community organizations and teachers, this project could provide a model for other communities and schools seeking to advance racial justice in mathematics education.

“I’ve had an opportunity to work with some amazing teachers who are dedicated to making mathematics education more equitable in their classrooms, but the impact of teachers is limited,” said Harper. “I am very excited to work with another group of stakeholders who are passionate about supporting Black and Latinx children in elementary mathematics – the children’s parents and caregivers! Parents and caregivers are uniquely positioned to advocate for their children’s best interests and to demand school-wide reforms to encourage research-based practices.”

Here is how the project will work: The first program will seek to build parents’ capacity to catalyze change across classrooms and schools within their local communities; and the second program will provide teacher professional development that supports elementary teachers of mathematics to learn with and from Black and Latinx families. A mixed methods research design that utilizes narrative inquiry and social network analysis will facilitate refinement of the educational program models by addressing two research objectives: (1) to understand the lived experiences of Black and Latinx parents as they build capacity to lead change and (2) to study the development, nature, and impact of parent-teacher-community partnerships that promote a shared vision for racial justice in mathematics.

“By the end of the project,” explains Harper, “the goal is to bring together a dedicated group of teachers, parents and caregivers, and community partners who can lead change in the mathematics education of Black and Latinx children.”

$1 Million Grant Bringing Culturally Relevant Robotics to Two Knox County Schools

September 15, 2020 by Rebekah Goode

Three faculty from the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (CEHHS) were recently awarded a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s Computer Science for All program. This funding will bring Culturally Relevant Robotics to Fair Garden Preschool and Sam E. Hill Primary School in the Knoxville area. The research team is made up of Frances Harper, assistant professor in CEHHS’ Theory and Practice in Teacher Education, Lori Caudle, and Margaret Quinn, both assistant professors in CEHHS’ Child and Family Studies. Amir Sadovnik, assistant professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in UT’s Tickle College of Engineering, and Darelene Greene, preschool instructional coach for Knox County Schools, as well as community stakeholders, school administrators, preschool teachers, and Black and Latinx children and their families will help with the work of the grant.

Through the Culturally Relevant Robotics Program, children from culturally and linguistically diverse groups will use robots and other digital technologies to support computer science learning in ways that build on home- and community-based resources and experiences. Families and teachers will work alongside the research team as they investigate the impact of the program on Black and Latinx children’s development of computational thinking and their sense of belonging in computer science. Although computational thinking is recognized as a critical, 21st century skill needed for academic and career success, little research has been done on the early access and socialization of computer science among young children from these demographics.

Across the three years, the Culturally Relevant Robotics Program will positively impact hundreds of preschoolers, families, and preschool teachers in Lonsdale and East Knoxville communities. It will increase and improve the teaching of computer science in local, urban preschool and provide families and educators with teaching models that meet the specific needs of their diverse communities. Additionally, this project will improve preschool curriculum by highlighting the ways that intersectional identities, such as race, gender, and class, can impact how children view themselves within the world of computer science. Developing an interest in computer science and robotics for children at an early age could lead to an increase in computer science degrees and diversify the computer science workforce.