BCSER Developing a Framework for Action to Promote Black Males Access to Algebra 1 by the Eighth Grade

该项目旨在增加黑人男性青年在公立学校高等数学方面取得成功的人数。研究人员将使用混合方法的设计，以获得一个全面的和文化上适当的学生的观点。该项目包括实施一个针对黑人男生的小组咨询项目，从七年级开始，一直持续到八年级。研究人员将获得整合来自学生和利益相关者的定量和定性数据所需的知识和技能，为未来STEM教育相关研究提供理论基础。这些数据将使用两个理论框架进行分析，以创建新知识的基线，从而为数学教师和学校领导制定适合文化的策略。这个项目的目标是提高针对黑人男中学生的课程、知识和技能，使他们能够获得代数1的学习机会，并在代数1中取得成功。本研究将以以下研究问题为指导：a)与等候名单对照组相比，团体干预模式在多大程度上提高了七年级黑人男性的种族认同、弹性和数学认同分数？b)利益相关者对结构性挑战的认知、理解和感知支持在多大程度上有助于黑人男性七年级学生成功地学习代数1 ？c)黑人男学生在八年级成功学习代数1的经历与其利益相关者的看法之间是否存在关系？d)黑人男性学生和他们的利益相关者提供了什么建议，作为在八年级成功学习代数1和在未来坚持学习高级数学课程的策略？培养黑人学生强烈的种族和数学认同感对于参与一般的学校实践是必要的。已经探索了STEM获取，持久性和其他相关预测因素，但需要确定帮助黑人男性保持对追求STEM领域兴趣的策略。这项研究将是第一个使用三角解释混合方法设计来探索黑人学生的经历，他们的利益相关者的看法，以及在八年级学习代数1时这些发现的整合。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project aims to increase the number of Black male youth who can be successful in advanced mathematics while in public schools. The researcher will use a mixed-methods design to gain a comprehensive and culturally appropriate student perspective. The project includes the implementation of a group counseling program for Black male students beginning in seventh grade and following them through eighth grade. The researcher will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to integrate quantitative and qualitative data from students and stakeholders to provide a theoretically sound foundation for future STEM education-related research. These data will be analyzed using two theoretical frameworks to create a baseline of new knowledge to develop culturally appropriate strategies for math instructors and school leaders. The goal of this project is to advance programs, knowledge, and skills targeting Black male middle school students so that they can gain access to, and be successful in Algebra 1. This study will be guided by the following research questions: a) to what extent does the group intervention model increase the racial identity, resiliency, and mathematical identity scores of Black male seventh-graders compared to a wait-list control group? b) to what extent do stakeholders’ perceptions, understandings of structural challenges, and perceived support contribute to Black male seventh-graders successfully accessing Algebra 1 in the eighth grade? c) is there a relationship between the Black male students’ experiences with successfully accessing Algebra 1 in the eighth grade and their stakeholders’ perceptions? and d) what are the recommendations Black male students and their stakeholders offer as strategies for successfully accessing Algebra 1 in eighth grade and persisting to advance level math courses in the future? Developing a strong racial and mathematic identity for Black students is necessary for engaging in general school practices. STEM access, persistence, and other related predictors have been explored, but identifying strategies to help Black males sustain an interest in pursuing STEM fields is needed. This study will be among the first to use a triangulated explanatory mixed-method design to explore both Black students’ experiences, their stakeholders’ perceptions, and the integration of these findings when accessing Algebra 1 in eighth grade.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.