Centering the voices, knowledge, and skills of Black and Latinx educators in educational research
For 18 months surrounding the 2020-2021 school year, a cohort of 20 educators and 20 researchers participated in the design and implementation of an innovative equity-focused research process that positioned Black and Latinx educators as research leaders.
Why do we need to shift power in educational research and development?
Black and Latinx educators must be better supported to lead conversations about improving educational practice, in particular for Black and Latinx youth. Their experiences, points of view, challenges, and curiosities must be centered in any research conducted to inform practice, policy, and innovation.
In contrast, however, educational research is typically driven by the needs and objectives of (largely White) researchers who bring their questions, gather data, and leave with the learnings. Too often, those learnings do not return to serve the very educators and students who informed the research.
About the Initiative
Shifting Power in Educational Research and Development (Shifting Power) aims to shift these traditional power dynamics that are inherent in many research and development (R&D) infrastructures. Shifting Power is a collaborative initiative between Remake Learning and the University of Pittsburgh School of Education funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
During the 2020-21 school year, 20 Black and Latinx educators were paired with 20 researchers across institutions in Western Pennsylvania and elsewhere. Together, these teams co-developed and implemented research projects in the educators’ learning spaces. With the support of their research partner and a deeply place-based, emancipatory R&D infrastructure (based on the work of Dr. Temple Lovelace), participating educators were positioned to lead and solve their own problems of practice.
In addition to their research projects, participants engaged in a number of learning opportunities hosted by the PittEd Justice Collective to grow in their racial consciousness and ability to lead conversations about education practice and research.
By providing connections, resources, and a platform, the participating Black and Latinx educators were positioned to directly influence local R&D in education. It is our hope that this process will inform equity-centered R&D processes nationwide.
Participants and Their Research
The 2020-21 cohort included 20 Black and Latinx PreK-12 educators, including classroom teachers, paraprofessionals, out-of-school providers, and youth workers, as well as 20 university-based, non-profit, and independent researchers and learning scientists. Explore their projects grounded in the concepts of equity, justice, and transformative R&D. A wide range of research questions, methodologies, and presentation formats were chosen by the research teams. The full set of research project abstracts can be found in the case study.
by Sister IAsia Thomas & Dr. April Warren-Grice
Witness the Reframe of Educational Equity: The Case for Afrocentric Education
This community autoethnography focuses on reframing educational equity by making a case for Afrocentric education as a more inclusive approach. Together we explore: (1) How two Black women, one from South Africa – Sister I, and one from the United States – Dr. April, conclude that Afrocentric Education (ACE) is the equity work needed for African migrant students and Black students in general; (2) How African migrant girls were influenced by their participation in The Promise of Sisterhood, an equity-based Africana arts-integrated program in Pittsburgh Public Schools; and (3) How using equity-based cultural enrichment opportunities, specifically an Africana arts-based approach, tells the story of migrant African girls and supports their cultural preservation. Together, we demonstrate the efficacy required for educators to expand the notion of equity work and support students in accessing the liberatory power of Sankofa and remembering.
Read their paper and watch a video documentary produced by the team.
By Alonna Cuffe & Sarah Hamilton
Propel’s Teacher Residency Program: Using the Residency as a Catalyst for the Recruitment & Retention of Quality Black Educators
In 2014, Propel Schools created a four year residency program in partnership with Chatham University as a response to the statewide teacher shortage, specifically in schools serving urban, high-poverty areas. In the years since, the number of incoming resident teachers began decreasing, as did the retention of residents, specifically black resident teachers. This research project aims to find the challenges facing Propel Schools’ Residency Program so that potential improvements can be identified to address the lack of teacher diversity in the organization. The researchers recommend three opportunities to strengthen the already established Propel Teacher Residency Program.
Learn their findings in this report.
By Malimi Joram Kazi & Laura Aldrete
The Effects of Using Finch Robots to Teach Math on Middle School Students’ Math Self-Efficacy and Achievement
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is significant for a vibrant national development and economy. Successful math education at middle school level is one of the important factors which contribute to student’s success in STEM education in high school and college. However, most students perform poorly in mathematics at middle school. Use of educational robotics in mathematics education seems to have potential of improving students’ math achievement and self-efficacy. In this study, I used mixed method design to investigate the effects of using Finch robots to teach math on middle school students’ math self-efficacy and achievement. I used mathematics self-efficacy survey and mathematics achievement test to collect qualitative data. And I used observation to collect qualitative data. To analyze quantitative data, I used General Linear Model (GLM) within the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 28 computer program. Analysis of the quantitative data suggested that use of Finch robots have a significant negative within-subjects effect (F (1, 4) = 35.41, p = .009) on students’ math self-efficacy. However, analysis of qualitative data revealed a positive effect. Regarding students’ math achievement, analysis of quantitative data revealed nonsignificant within-subjects effect, F (1, 4) = .314, p = .614. Contrary, analysis of qualitative data revealed a positive effect.
Read more about their findings in this report.