“Don’t Just Tell Me the Answer”: Ethnicity, Gender and Parents’ Science Scaffolding

Katherine Short-Meyerson, Susannah Sandrin, Peter Meyerson, Lindsey White

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study examines interactions of fourth graders and their parents during informal science activities to understand the parental influence on children’s science interests, attitudes, and participation. Sixteen Latino/a parent–child dyads and 16 Non-Latino/a parent–child dyads, matched on socioeconomic status (SES), participated in this qualitative study. Content analysis elucidated themes including parental intrusive support, aiming for deeper understanding, questioning by parents and children, language challenges, parent and child affect, and parent-dominated, child-dominated, or collaborative problem solving. Potential differences in cultural context and gender biases are explored and approaches to parental outreach and enrichment are discussed.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)24-38
Number of pages15
JournalJournal of Latinos and Education
Volume21
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2022
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Latino/a children and families
  • elementary
  • family
  • informal/popular education
  • qualitative research
  • science education

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cultural Studies
  • Education

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