Student Voice in a Participatory Design Process Focused on Developing Equity-Based STEM Teaching Practices

The purpose of this study with second grade students in a mid-sized city in the Northwest was to examine an equity-based STEM teaching practice and design process that builds on student\u27s voice in the context of an elementary school. Teaching practice innovations were designed using a participatory process drawing on student voice and experience, culturally responsive pedagogy, STEM content, and teaching practices. The students collaborated with the teacher to design and enact equity-based STEM teaching practice innovations and gave necessary and appropriate feedback regarding its efficacy in creating equitable and empowering learning experiences from their own perspective. A specific goal of these equity-based teaching practices was to develop and enact STEM learning experiences that are meaningful and relevant to students\u27 everyday academic, cultural, and social lives. This research also sheds light on the institutional and policy barriers that exist in STEM classrooms and ways that historically marginalized students\u27 voices could be a powerful force in designing STEM curriculum to be more equitable and empowering from the students\u27 perspective