2016 - STEM as "Minority": A Phenomenological Case Study of How Students of Color Perceive Their Experience in a STEM Living-Learning Program

Attribution: Sriram, Rishi, & Diaz, Crystal
Researchers: Crystal DiazRishi Sriram
University Affiliation: Baylor University; University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Email: Rishi_Sriram@baylor.edu
Research Question:
To gain understanding of the experiences of students of color in a STEM living-learning program.
Published: Yes
Journal Name or Institutional Affiliation: Journal of Learning Spaces
Journal Entry: Vol. 5, No.1, Pp. 9-18
Year: 2016
Findings:
  1. Five overarching themes appeared in the analyses. Four of the themes- Selection, Academic Integration, Social Integration, and Convenience- integrate well with existing literature on LLPs. The authors did not find their fifth theme, STEM as Minority, in the relevant literature and believe it is a new contribution to the field of knowledge.
  2. Students in this study had a clear impression that the LLP was a predominantly academic space that could help them succeed. Most students mentioned that living in another residential space would have hindered their academic success.
  3. Students described a positively competitive environment that pushes them to be their best; an environment in which everyone is striving for the same goals.
  4. Peer academic support was a strong and consistent sub-theme of academic integration found throughout the interviews.
  5. All participants mentioned a direct impact from the LLP on their academic performance and integration, specifically through peer support, increased motivation, and a culture conducive to success.
  6. Every student interviewed had an overwhelming theme of “community” in their language describing the LLP. They expressed a sense of belonging when talking about what it means to live with students in the same major.
  7. Many of them mentioned that the LLP is located next to a STEM academic building on campus, making it easier for them to connect with their faculty. This convenience added to the probability of some students asking for help.
  8. The theme that rapidly emerged from the interviews and was reaffirmed during member checks was the idea that being a student in a STEM major meant being, in essence, a minority when compared to other students on campus. The language from all participants indicated that they felt part of a special community and shared a similar mindset with fellow STEM majors. The findings suggest that living in the LLP helped students to cope with their perception of having “minority” status as a STEM major on campus.
Scholarship Types: Journal Article Reporting Empirical ResearchKeywords: CollegeIntegrationLiving-learning ProgramsMinoritiesSTEMRegions: SouthwestMethodologies: QualitativeResearch Designs: InterviewsAnalysis Methods: Content Analysis Sampling Frame:Minority STEM students in Living-learning Programs
Sampling Types: Non-Random - PurposiveAnalysis Units: StudentData Types: Qualitative-Cross Sectional
Data Description:
  • Living-learning programs (LLPs) draw from Astin’s (1993) inputs-environment-outcomes (I-E-O) model, positing that student inputs combine with the institutional environment to produce student outcomes.
  • The study site is a large private research university in the Southwest. The institution is predominantly European American, comprising more than 70% of the student body. Also, the STEM LLP examined in this study was well established because it was the first LLP on this campus. This LLP is categorized as a large, comprehensively resourced, student affairs/academic affairs collaboration program.
  • The population included 13 students of color in the STEM LLP who were at least in their sophomore year at the institution. Of the 13 students who met the criteria, nine chose to participate in the study. Students’ race/ethnicity consisted of African American (1), East Asian (2), Hispanic (5), and South Asian (1). All students were classified as either sophomores (3) or seniors (6). Additionally, all participants were domestic students born in the United States.
  • Two initial, broadly structured questions guided this study in order to draw out the meaning-making of participants: 1) What have you experienced in your years in this LLP, and 2) What situations or examples contributed to those experiences? They collected the data through in-person semi-structured individual interviews lasting approximately one hour, and they conducted follow-up interviews as necessary.
  • They analyzed the qualitative data utilizing phenomenological and case study data analysis procedures. They analyzed data in four phases: independent open coding by the two researchers, independent development of themes by the two researchers, comparison and integration of codes and themes, and cross-checking each transcript with the newly developed themes. To help strengthen the trustworthiness of data collection, they conducted member checks with participants and searched for discrepant data in analysis. If discrepancies were found, themes were reevaluated against data and necessary changes were made.
Theoretical Framework:
Relevance:Race and STEM
Archives: K-16 STEM Abstracts