ERIC Number: EJ1453323
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0013-5984
EISSN: EISSN-1554-8279
Available Date: N/A
Challenging Educational Inequities in Early STEM Instruction: A Case for Urgency
Megan Rojo; Christian T. Doabler; Jenna Gersib; Anna-Maria Fall; Maria A. Longhi; Greg Roberts; Georgia L. Kimmel; Jasmine Uy; Shadi Ghafghazi; Sarah R. Powell; Gail Lovette; William J. Therrien
Elementary School Journal, v125 n2 p211-232 2024
It is urgent to ensure that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education meets the needs of our nation's increasingly diverse student population. This study examined whether a second-grade science program, Scientific Explorers, supported educational equity in STEM achievement for diverse student populations. Sociodemographic variables such as race and ethnicity, disability status, socioeconomic status, and gender were explored to determine their impact on student response variation within the program. Results of the moderator analysis indicated that students benefited equitably from the Scientific Explorers program, regardless of their sociodemographic identities, on three out of four science outcomes. Implications of the current study suggest early STEM programs that incorporate validated instructional design and delivery principles can serve as a viable mechanism to reduce sociodemographic achievement gaps in early elementary classrooms by empowering young females, building important science background and vocabulary knowledge, and offering students meaningful discourse and investigative practice opportunities.
Descriptors: STEM Education, Equal Education, Elementary School Science, Grade 2, Minority Group Students, Disproportionate Representation, Student Characteristics, Scientists
University of Chicago Press. Journals Division, P.O. Box 37005, Chicago, IL 60637. Tel: 877-705-1878; Tel: 773-753-3347; Fax: 877-705-1879; Fax: 773-753-0811; e-mail: subscriptions@press.uchicago.edu; Web site: http://www.press.uchicago.edu
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Early Childhood Education; Grade 2; Primary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A