KusMINT - Culturally sensitive pedagogy in STEM lessons

Project Description:

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) describes the ability of teachers to understand and recognize the needs of learners in order to design effective instruction at both the individual and group level and to promote classroom climate (Emmer & Stough, 2001; Ladson-Billings, 1996, 2006, 2008). Although there is work that focuses on multilingualism, there are few materials in German-speaking countries that support lesson design for pupils with different cultural backgrounds (Glanzer, 2023). This is particularly relevant in science and computer science lessons, as students in these subjects often feel that they are not welcome and lose interest early on. In Austria, the CRP concept in STEM subjects, which has proven to be very successful in other countries (e.g. New Zealand, Canada), is largely unknown. The key is that all students can benefit from the use of CRP strategies. When young people are not asked about the knowledge they bring from home and perceive school as a strange, uncaring and unsafe place where they do not feel they belong, this can be reflected in difficult or disruptive behavior (Glynn, Cowie, Otrel-Cass & MacFarlane, 2010). The aim of this project is to make central CRP concepts understandable for teachers, with a focus on the areas of lower secondary level in computer science and the natural sciences. Over a period of three months, concepts and implementation proposals will be developed on the basis of a literature review, which will then be revised together with teachers. Following this co-creation process, teaching materials will then be created and made available to schools and student teachers as OERs.

Project team:

Kathrin Otrel-Cass (University of Graz)
Stefanie Rauch (University of Graz)
Michaela Frieß (MS St. Leonhard)