Short answer
Designers of educational tools and curricula should incorporate principles that acknowledge and leverage the diverse backgrounds, histories, and identities of all learners, particularly those from minoritized groups, to foster more equitable and effective engagement with STEM subjects.
- Field
- User-Centred Design
- Source
- Cognition and Instruction (2019)
- Method
- Comparative case study analysis
- Evidence
- Strong effect
Integrating concepts of power, historicity, and identity into existing learning frameworks reveals and addresses epistemic injustices faced by minoritized students in STEM education. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2019 study published in Cognition and Instruction. Using Comparative case study analysis, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers of educational tools and curricula should incorporate principles that acknowledge and leverage the diverse backgrounds, histories, and identities of all learners, particularly those from minoritized groups, to foster more equitable and effective engagement with STEM subjects.
Connective and Productive Disciplinary Engagement (CPDE) Framework Enhances Inclusivity in STEM Learning
Integrating concepts of power, historicity, and identity into existing learning frameworks reveals and addresses epistemic injustices faced by minoritized students in STEM education.
Cognition and Instruction · 2019
Key Findings
- 01The CPDE framework makes visible the generative resources and unseen identities of minoritized students in disciplinary knowing and doing.
- 02CPDE addresses epistemic injustice by acknowledging diverse epistemologies beyond narrow Western rubrics.
- 03The framework provides a structure for designing and analyzing learning environments that safeguard the rightful presence of minoritized learners in STEM.
Application
Design takeaway
Designers of educational tools and curricula should incorporate principles that acknowledge and leverage the diverse backgrounds, histories, and identities of all learners, particularly those from minoritized groups, to foster more equitable and effective engagement with STEM subjects.
How to apply
When designing educational materials or learning experiences, consider how the framework can be used to analyze potential barriers for minoritized students and to actively incorporate their unique perspectives and ways of knowing.
Project actions
- 01When researching user needs, consider not just functional requirements but also the socio-cultural context of your target users.
- 02Explore how historical biases or power structures might influence the adoption or effectiveness of your design.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Provides a robust theoretical framework for analyzing learning environments.
- +Offers practical insights for designing more inclusive educational experiences.
Limitations
The specific classroom examples might not directly translate to all design contexts, and further adaptation may be needed.
Reliability & validity
The validity of the CPDE framework is supported by its ability to surface issues overlooked by PDE in case studies. Reliability would depend on consistent application of the framework's analytical criteria across different contexts.
Think critically
How might the principles of CPDE be applied to the design of non-educational products or services to ensure greater inclusivity and address potential power imbalances?
Design Principles
"Design for inclusive participation by acknowledging and valuing diverse epistemologies and learner identities."
This research offers a more nuanced understanding of how learning environments can either perpetuate or dismantle systemic inequities. By considering the broader social and personal contexts of learners, designers can create more equitable and effective educational experiences.
What This Means for Your Design
This research shows that to make learning in science and math fair for everyone, especially students from groups that have historically been left out, we need to think about how power, history, and personal identity affect how they learn. A new way of looking at learning, called CPDE, helps us see these things better and create classrooms where everyone feels they belong and can succeed.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing the importance of user diversity and the potential impact of socio-cultural factors on design adoption and effectiveness.
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Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
The framework of Connective and Productive Disciplinary Engagement (CPDE), as developed by Agarwal and Sengupta-Irving (2019), highlights the critical need to integrate considerations of power, historicity, and identity into the design of learning environments. This approach is vital for addressing epistemic injustices and ensuring equitable participation, particularly for minoritized students in STEM fields. By moving beyond narrow definitions of disciplinary engagement, designers can create more inclusive and effective learning experiences that acknowledge and leverage the diverse backgrounds and ways of knowing of all learners.
Source
Cognition and Instruction
Integrating Power to Advance the Study of Connective and Productive Disciplinary Engagement in Mathematics and Science
journal · 2019
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about connective and productive disciplinary engagement (cpde) framework enhances inclusivity in stem learning?
- Designers of educational tools and curricula should incorporate principles that acknowledge and leverage the diverse backgrounds, histories, and identities of all learners, particularly those from minoritized groups, to foster more equitable and effective engagement with STEM subjects. Evidence: Cognition and Instruction (2019).
- Why does "Connective and Productive Disciplinary Engagement (CPDE) Framework Enhances Inclusivity in STEM Learning" matter for design?
- This research offers a more nuanced understanding of how learning environments can either perpetuate or dismantle systemic inequities. By considering the broader social and personal contexts of learners, designers can create more equitable and effective educational experiences.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Designers of educational tools and curricula should incorporate principles that acknowledge and leverage the diverse backgrounds, histories, and identities of all learners, particularly those from minoritized groups, to foster more equitable and effective engagement with STEM subjects.
- What were the main findings?
- The CPDE framework makes visible the generative resources and unseen identities of minoritized students in disciplinary knowing and doing.. CPDE addresses epistemic injustice by acknowledging diverse epistemologies beyond narrow Western rubrics.. The framework provides a structure for designing and analyzing learning environments that safeguard the rightful presence of minoritized learners in STEM.
- What research method was used?
- Comparative case study analysis.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2019 journal from Cognition and Instruction.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing educational materials or learning experiences, consider how the framework can be used to analyze potential barriers for minoritized students and to actively incorporate their unique perspectives and ways of knowing.
- What are the limitations?
- The study's findings are based on specific classroom cases and may not be universally generalizable without further research across different contexts and disciplines.