Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Date of Degree

9-2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Program

Urban Education

Advisor

Terrie Epstein

Committee Members

Wendy Lutrell

Juan Battle

Subject Categories

Curriculum and Instruction | Curriculum and Social Inquiry | Secondary Education

Keywords

Culturally Inclusive Curricula, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Racial-Self-worth, Civic Efficacy, Civic Engagement, Activism, High School Students

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of culturally sustaining/inclusive curricula (CSP/CIC) and experiences of racism in school on racial-ethnic identity, racial self-worth, civic efficacy, and activism for African American/Black, Latino(a)(x), Asian, and Indigenous youth. The effect of CIC/CSP on developmental psychological self-concepts and the impact of the public health crises occurring in 2020 on curricula and activism was explored. The effect of CIC/CSP on non-White youth from New York City was captured using an interactive web-based survey (n=155) and quantified using a branch of artificial intelligence called machine learning. Consensus narratives and focus groups (n=20) were used to follow up on crowd behavior analysis (AI). The findings revealed that non-White students had stronger connections to their racial-ethnic self-identity and higher levels of civic efficacy and racial self-worth when they engaged with CIC/CSP. When non-White students reported having limited or no engagement with CIC/CSP, they had weaker connections to their racial-ethnic identities, lower civic efficacy, and racial self-worth. CIC/CSP, for example, was a protective factor in supporting important psychological self-concepts, such as racial self-worth and internal locus of control, evidenced in their civic efficacy. Non-White students who engaged in non-traditional forms of activism pre-pandemic and had limited exposure to CIC/CSP doubled high-risk activism since the pandemic. The study found evidence that students may have engaged in high-risk activism as a coping mechanism for racial inequalities in school curricula and the stress of the pandemic. In addition, 65% of non-White students (n=13) in focus groups reported that they experienced Institutional Categorial Racial Ethnic Bias (ICREB), such as having their racial-ethnic identity be identified by their school differently than how they identify. Students in the study reported that they had never learned that math, science, and philosophy originated in Africa. However, there is scientific evidence to support this fact. Implications of the study call for more expansive Afro-centric and Indigenous CIC/CSP that focus on healing-centered approaches to be incorporated in CSP for non-White students. CIC/CSP is particularly important for individuals with African ancestry to support healing from the racial trauma caused by epistemic violence in schools and other racial traumas.

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