More Than Pedagogy: How Culturally Responsive STEM Courses Shape Minoritized Students' Experiences and Persistence in STEM

Abstract

This dissertation investigates how culturally responsive pedagogical approaches implemented in introductory STEM courses shape the experiences, learning, and persistence of minoritized students in higher education. Drawing from a qualitative case study design, the research centers on three large introductory STEM courses—Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics— taught by faculty who received training in culturally responsive teaching and curriculum design at a public research university.Guided by conceptual frameworks that bring together the comprehensive model of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) and the Ecology of STEM Education framework, this study explores both classroom-level teaching practices and the broader sociocultural systems influencing STEM education. Data were collected from faculty and student interviews, classroom observations, and analysis of course materials and online learning environments. A comparative thematic analysis was used to examine how CRP was enacted and experienced across the courses. The findings revealed three central themes across the courses: (a) CRP is enacted through student-centered pedagogies that acknowledge and value students’ knowledge and lived experiences as co-constructors of learning; (b) pedagogies of care support students’ academic, social, and emotional well-being, creating inclusive spaces that affirm students’ identities; and (c) humanizing pedagogical practices challenge traditional norms in STEM, fostering belonging, empathy, and redefined notions of STEM success. Students reported that these culturally responsive STEM learning environments enhanced their engagement, sense of belonging, and motivation to persist in STEM, particularly among non-traditional students and those serving as Undergraduate Learning Assistants (ULAs), who often had shared experiences with current students. The study underscores that CRP is not merely a set of teaching strategies; it is a transformative model for disrupting exclusionary norms and reshaping the STEM ecosystem toward equity and inclusion. This research highlights that academic rigor and humanizing STEM teaching are not oppositional, and that science and culture are not incompatible. Persistence in STEM is not solely a matter of students working harder; it requires building ecosystems that support them, value their identities, and create spaces where they can thrive—not despite their backgrounds, but because of them. When such ecosystems are created, students do not merely persist; they lead, mentor others, and imagine new futures. Ultimately, this study contributes to broader discussions on systemic change in STEM education and offers practical implications for pedagogy, curriculum design, and institutional policy aimed at supporting historically minoritized students.