Academic Support for Black Middle School Student Success in STEM

Black students experience significant achievement gaps that contribute to underrepresentation in high paying STEM fields and disparity in health and economic outcomes. Effective middle-school interventions include exposure to culturally relevant STEM role models, instruction in academic behaviors and growth mindset, instruction in the academic vocabulary required to pass high stakes achievement tests, and support for family engagement. The goal of this proposal is to develop a media-enhanced technology that offers Black middle school students and their families a culturally responsive support tool for engaging in STEM learning in the home setting.