Congratulations to Dr. Joe Krajcik and Dr. Kui Xie from the MSU College of Education for being awarded Co-Principal Investigator status on this exciting new research project. The Virginia Commonwealth University's Dr. Christine Bae will be the Principal Investigator; VCU's Dr John Fife will also be a Co-PI on the project.
This exciting new project will explore the high-quality science learning opportunities available for underrepresented minority (URM) middle school students, including Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and low-income students with limited access to quality STEM education, and their relation to students' science learning outcomes. The study will take place in middle schools in Virginia and Michigan, and will assess school factors (such as teachers' views on equitable science teaching), teacher factors (including beliefs and skills in science instruction), and student factors (such as gender, ethnicity, prior science achievement) to predict science learning outcomes.
In Phase 1, the researchers will explore the "Hybrid2 framework" in urban science classrooms through action research with teachers. In phase 2, they will examine URM students' science learning experiences and outcomes using this framework. The project will use mixed methods, combining quantitative and qualitative data for a comprehensive analysis.
The project will provide preliminary evidence on how Hybrid2 science discourse affects URM students' engagement, self-efficacy, and achievement. It will also produce a final dataset, peer-reviewed publications, presentations, and other dissemination materials for education stakeholders, including practitioners and policymakers.
