Culture is a broad term that includes all the various parts of life that a society has adopted over time. These parts include the arts, social behavior, customs, laws and all other expressions of human achievement.

Please press play to watch the video: 

For Black youth to develop strong STEM identity, it is important that they are aware of how their communities have practiced science in the past. The richness of customs in any particular culture speaks to the way they embrace life's natural phenomena. Actua Instructors should aim to showcase how various cultures have practiced science in different forms. A big component of exposing Black youth to role models with shared experiences is exposing them to the achievements and legacies that have already been accomplished by those in their community. 

It is important to note that not all Black youth come from the same countries, cultures or communities. Sometimes the only thing the youth have in common is their skin colour. For this reason, instructors must be aware that there will be no “one size fits all” solution when it comes to incorporating culture into programming, and emphasize pre-learning of community connections and context when planning STEM programming for Black youth in your community.

Learn about the various cultures of your participants. It can be difficult to learn about 30 kids in a short period of time. However it goes a long way in setting high expectations for participants when they know you are invested in their success. Having a strong relationship builds the foundation for honest communication and it will give instructors a better understanding of a student's motivations, learning style and culture.  Getting to know your youth can be quickly developed with youth or their teachers or community partners through open discussions, surveys and activities at the beginning of a session, or even ideally, in a pre-session. For example, asking students to draw a picture of a scientist is one way to understand where each student may be in their STEM journeys. 

Connect subject matter to the student's world. Once instructors know a little about their youth, they should investigate subjects that naturally seem to fascinate the youth and find ways to draw their interest. Once the interest is there, instructors should make the focus of the lesson the science knowledge and support students to continue to make connections to their everyday lives. 

Remember, there is no one culture that could be highlighted that would encompass every student in a classroom. Instructors should instead focus on Culturally Relevant Pedagogy  (CRP) which is a term that describes the intentional creation of content rooted in students' everyday lives. (Thevenot, T, n.d)

As you begin to create your programming intentionally, keep in mind that the pillars mentioned above are the underlying factors that contribute to the success of running culturally relevant programs. Due to the fact that not all black youth are from the same backgrounds, the suggestions highlighted below are a way of painting a picture for Black youth that intentionally includes them in generations of scientific and technological knowledge. Generally, we recommend reviewing and using the Content Development Process (1. ideation, 2. design, 3. implementation, and 4. evaluation) from Actua’s training module on STEM content development as you develop session activities and programs. 

Whatever content you choose, ensure it is flexible and representative. Instructors should aim to use a structured process when creating content.  In the ideation and design phases of content development, you should, using Culturally Relevant Pedagogy principles, and the knowledge about what you know from a community partner interview or earlier session experience, decide on content plans that are relevant and representative of the community you are engaging.  

Bloom Banks Matrix

While considering established STEM Content lesson plans, Instructors can utilize rubrics like the Bloom Banks Matrix to evaluate the content of culturally relevant programming. ((Scott, M. T, 2014)

The Bloom Banks Matrix includes 4 variables that ensure lesson plans are being made with culturally relevant stories in mind. (Aderibigbe, T, et al.,2022) They are listed below: 

• Contributions: These refer to physical things that an instructor can bring into a lesson plan to incorporate different communities. These could include musical instruments, tools or foods that celebrate science in different ways. 

  • A great example of this would be to bring in a boomerang and explore the origins and physics behind it as a tool.
• Additive: This focuses on blending themes and contributions from other cultures. Students are encouraged to explore how various cultures have come to know science in ways that are often left out of traditional spaces. 
  • For example, creating a workshop that explores the different ways that other cultures have invented boomerangs would be a fun additive activity to include. This helps students gain an appreciation for other ways of knowing and practicing science. 
• Transformation: This advanced stage includes getting students to transform their own experiences into problem solving opportunities. In this stage, students are encouraged to use their knowledge of different cultures to identify issues in their own communities that they can solve. It is a way for participants to use the concepts they have learned and demonstrate their understanding of science and culture. 
  • During this period of learning, students might be tasked with identifying how a similar concept may be of use in their own community. The instructor could further emphasize the unique nature of the Australian boomerang’s tendency to return back to its sender. Participants may then reflect on the concept of what returning something back may look like in their own cultures. 
• Social Action: This is the level at which students have identified potential solutions in Transformation and are now encouraged to bring that knowledge and change into their communities. 
  • For example, building on the knowledge learned in the transformation example, students can reflect on how information and ideas can be returned back to their communities.

All of these pieces can be used in the ideation and design stages of developing culturally relevant STEM content for Actua’s network member programs.

When creating STEM content, it is important to follow the steps in the STEM content module. Don’t forget to review the process and follow the risk review processes of your institution.