ERIC Number: EJ1311593
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Nov
Pages: 26
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0036-8326
EISSN: N/A
Determinants of Black Families' Access to a Community-Based STEM Program: A Latent Class Analysis
King, Natalie S.; Collier, Zachary; Johnson, Bridgette G.; Acosta, Melanie; Southwell, Charisse N.
Science Education, v105 n6 p1100-1125 Nov 2021
The purpose of this study was to uncover determinants of Black families' access to STEM enrichment, specifically focusing on I AM STEM--a community-based program. Our research examined the association between class membership and how families learned about I AM STEM, to provide a more nuanced understanding about how family dynamics influence Black parents' access to educational enrichment programs for their children. This study draws from Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological systems theory (EST) and Coleman's (1988) definition of social capital to explore the ways in which Black families across socioeconomic backgrounds access and use the community-based STEM program. A latent class analysis was employed to identify determinants based on specific predictors (e.g., parents' highest level of education, free/reduced lunch status, and grade level of registered children). The latent class model extracted three distinct classes. Our findings revealed that all parents were likely to enroll their elementary-aged children, but the likelihood of enrolling middle or high school children increased with parents who were college educated. This study also uncovered that regardless of income or neighborhood lines, Black parents of all social classes, and family dynamics learned about the program through information sharing. Furthermore, the program's location increased access to informal STEM learning opportunities for parents who experienced poverty, while the program's curriculum attracted middle-class Black families who were not residents of that particular community. Collectively, I AM STEM promoted educational and economic inclusion, which broadened participation in STEM programming.
Descriptors: African American Family, Access to Education, Community Programs, STEM Education, Social Class, Influences, Predictor Variables, Enrollment
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2191/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A