Shifting pedagogically: Incorporating the social, cultural, and emotional dimensions of student learning to develop STEM-identities in computer science

Abstract

Through qualitative inquiry of a 9th-grade computer science (CS) classroom, this paper examines how teachers' pedagogical approaches can help prioritize the social and emotional dimensions of student learning to foster STEM identity and development. Findings from an ethnographic study of the delivery of the Exploring Computer Science curriculum in a high school setting of majority of students of color, and low-income youth identify five high-leverage instructional strategies. These strategies include 1) teacher mindsets towards specific subject areas like computer science; 2) creating conditions for affirming students culturally; 3) intentionally prioritizing student autonomy for social and emotional development; 4) co-constructing knowledge to increase student engagement; and 5) helping students create their own STEM identity by exposing them to STEM professionals of similar racial and cultural characteristics as students. Collectively, these practices offer critical windows into how educators can act as intermediaries in helping students see themselves in the CS field and STEM/CS career pathways. Findings from this study can inform strategies for teacher education and policy efforts seeking to close learning gaps for historically marginalized groups and to improve racial and gender diversity in opportunities for growing STEM fields.