The Role of Minoritized Student Representation in Promoting Achievement and Equity within College STEM Courses
The Role of Minoritized Student Representation in Promoting Achievement and Equity within College STEM Courses
 
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AERA Open
December 6, 2023

Nicholas Bowman, University of Iowa
Christine Logel, Renison University College
Jennifer LaCosse, University of Michigan–Flint
Elizabeth A. Canning, Washington State University
Katherine T. U. Emerson, Indiana University
Mary C. Murphy, Indiana University

In the context of continued equity gaps in student success within and beyond STEM, this paper explored the extent to which the representation of underrepresented racial minority (URM) and first-generation college students predict grades in postsecondary STEM courses. The analyses examined 87,027 grades received by 11,868 STEM-interested students within 8,468 STEM courses at 20 institutions. Cross-classified multilevel models and student fixed effect analyses of these data both support the same conclusion: The proportion of URM and first-generation students within a class is positively associated with STEM grades among all students, and these relationships are stronger among students who are members of the minoritized group. Thus, promoting the representation of students with minoritized identities in STEM courses may lead to greater equity in college outcomes.

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Read the press release: "Study: Diverse College Classrooms Linked to Better STEM Learning Outcomes for All Students"

Study citation: Bowman, N. A., Logel, C., LaCosse, J., Canning, E. A., Emerson, K. T. U., & Murphy, M. C. (2023). The role of minoritized student representation in promoting achievement and equity within college STEM courses. AERA Open, 9(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1177/23328584231209957
 
 
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