Our Research

Our Academy Research is geared toward first and second grade students only. Pre-K and Kindergarten students will be given assignments and tests but they will only be used to document academic progress and development.

First and Second Grade Parents: Please review and enjoy the research paper written by our founder and faculty member, Achaia Ravizee. Her work is as follows:

Cognitive Diversity Toward STEM Success

The goal and purpose of my research is to develop a STEM curriculum based upon the different ways people learn. Cognitive Diversity Toward STEM Success may improve the lack of minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics disciplines and may produce a methodology that helps all students comprehend STEM subjects. At this stage of my concept paper, Cognitive Diversity toward STEM Success can be defined as different teaching methods, based on the way a child learns, that help all students including minorities understand STEM ideas. This concept relates to my research as an Ed.D. student via my program of study which is Curriculum and Instruction with a focus concentration in STEM Leadership and this concept also relates to my research as an Ed.D. student because I will learn how to instruct and teach students, based on the results of the research project, which may help minority students learn Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics subjects with ease. In his studies of human capacity, Howard Gardner revealed a wider family of human intelligences than previously suggested (Campbell et al., n.d). As developed in the theory of multiple intelligences, the human species has evolved to be able to analyze at least seven different kinds of information in the world, ranging from language to music to data about other people and themselves (Gardner, 1995).

The intelligences my concept paper will investigate are linguistic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, aural and object-based learning, our intent is to become a beacon of hope for all students who want to study STEM and Global Leadership subjects and we will achieve this premiere desire by working diligently toward our research goals, questions, and results.

Problem Statement 

“In a 2012 report, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology suggested the number of STEM majors needed to increase by 34 percent over current rates in order to meet the demand for STEM professionals” (Arcidiacono et al., 2016, p.525). The problem my research will address is increasing the number of minority students in STEM by teaching these students based on the way they understand math, science, engineering, and technology subjects. The problem is teaching STEM subjects in grades K-5 must be done more effectively in order to increase the amount of people who can obtain STEM careers and additionally, teaching STEM subjects in grades K-5 must also be done more effectively in order to increase the number of minorities who major in and attain STEM professions.

Purpose of Research

The purpose of the research is to help minorities understand STEM subjects by teaching STEM concepts based on the child’s identified intelligence. The importance of this research statement is its ability to produce a methodology that helps students comprehend technical concepts. Disproportionately low retention of underrepresented minority (URM) students in STEM degree programs continues to limit the overall size, strength, and diversity of the STEM career applicant pool (Lisberg & Woods, 2018, p.14). With respect to literature, theory, policy, and practice, this research may contribute to the educational field because it is a proposal that helps diversify the STEM arena by investigating STEM teaching methods minority students can understand due to teaching strategies catered to their identified intelligence. Additionally, what my concept paper and research plan to study differs from what is already being investigated via my focus which will teach then test students on their learning capabilities based on an intelligence that helps the child understand STEM subjects effectively and efficiently.

Research Questions

Cognitive Diversity Toward STEM Success will contribute to the academic and STEM community by providing information on how well minority children understand STEM subjects based on different intelligences. The intent of the research questions is to make Global Leadership, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics understandable to all students by teaching each pupil in the learning style their comprehension abilities identify with. If URM scholars determine what their learning style is then each student may proficiently understand STEM and Global Leadership topics and may perform better on scientific exams when these subjects are taught via their identified learning methodology. Research Questions are as follows:

1. How can different learning methodologies help students better understand Global Leadership and STEM subjects?
2. Why do URM students perform better in STEM classes if lesson plans and are taught via their identified intelligence and learning style?
3. How can distinct learning styles enhance student’s abilities to understand technical concepts?

Goals and Objectives

The goal and objective of my research is to help African American youth understand STEM subjects. My research will promote, teach, train, and equip minority students with the tools and methods they need to excel in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics subjects and the research may also innovatively produce scholars who matriculate into STEM careers that revolutionize society. 

Literature Review

The first article reviewed for my concept paper was Factors Influencing Undergraduate Student Retention in STEM Majors: Career Development, Math Ability, and Demographics (Ravizee, 2020). The research that has already been done in this article states that a higher percentage of cases of minority students will stay in STEM courses in school if career development initiatives are present while they are in taking their classes (Ravizee, 2020). This definitely helps narrow down my topic and clarifies my research question by allowing me to see that career development programs must be involved in my curriculum and research (Ravizee, 2020). The article relates to all of the themes within the literature review by way of researching methods that increases minority retention in STEM (Ravizee, 2020). The second article in this review is University Differences in the Graduation of Minorities in STEM Fields: Evidence from California (Ravizee, 2020). The research that has already been done in this article states that STEM scholars who are less prepared for college will do better at a lower ranked university (Ravizee, 2020). This also helps me further narrow my topic and clarifies my research question by allowing me to see what must be in my curriculum research that successfully helps a student attend any school of their choice (Ravizee, 2020). The third article investigated was Mentorship, Mindset and Learning Strategies: An Integrative Approach to Increasing Underrepresented Minority Student Retention in a Stem Undergraduate Program (Ravizee, 2020). This article examines how a STEM boot camp can increase minority retention via distinct mentorship (Ravizee, 2020). It clarifies my research question by allowing me to see a STEM camp could help minority students by way of instructional lesson plans via multiple intelligences and also prepares me for the important task of helping students find a mentor they will desperately need (Ravizee, 2020). The fourth article is The Representation of Multiple Intelligences in the Science Textbook and the Extent of Awareness of Science Teachers at the Intermediate Stage of this Theory and the fifth article reviewed is Multiple Intelligences in Practice: Harmonizing Teaching Materials and Students’ Individual Potentials (Ravizee, 2020). Both articles speak to the ability of using multiple intelligences in education to enhance student performance and their academic abilities (Ravizee, 2020). The articles were very informative and helped validate the initial theory of my intended topic for my concept paper and dissertation (Ravizee, 2020). A great deal of knowledge was gained from these current peer reviewed articles and their work suggest more teaching materials and coursework should be catered to the individualized learning preference and intelligences of students (Ravizee, 2020). 

Instrument of Research

After researching different instruments that relate to our chosen research topic, the appropriate tool that will investigate our thesis objective is a questionnaire. A questionnaire is a research instrument that consists of a set of inquiries or prompts that aims to collect information from a respondent. More specifically, the Multiple Intelligences Test is the instrument that will be used in our research and it will help the academy determine how students learn. The learning style instrument will be administered to 1/2 of the students, Group MIT. Our instructors will then teach that group of students based on their learning style. Test One will be given to Group MIT, the instructors will teach lesson plans that include linguistic, aural, object-based, intrapersonal and interpersonal activities and following all STEM lessons that will be taught via each intelligences, Test One will be administered a second time to see student progress and performance. The other cohort of students, group no MIT, will be taught via the standard teaching methodologies for STEM subjects. All students will participate in both Group MIT and Group No MIT and we will then compare, analyze and evaluate the results of both groups. The MIT instrument aligns with our topic and procedure because it determines the natural intelligences, the strengths, style, and brain-type of the student participants in our research and we will use their identified intelligence, that will become their way of learning, to assist in growing their knowledge base of technological concepts. This evaluation will show our faculty the best learning strategies for your child, the next great scientist, engineer or global leader. First and second grade assessment tests will become available when the curriculum for those grades commence. 

Data Analysis

The plan for analyzing and representing data will be done using Super Decisions and IDS, the Intelligent Decision System for Multi Criteria Assessment (Ravizee, 2020). IDS is software for multiple criteria decision analysis and Super Decisions is software that uses an Analytic Hierarchical Process (AHP) and an Analytic Network Process (ANP) within its model (Ravizee, 2020). AHP and ANP are prevailing synthesis strategies that rank prevalent variables and predict outcomes (Ravizee, 2020). 

Data Presentation

Dissertation data and results will be presented to BBGLSA parents, ACE faculty and my research committee who will definitely assist in my doctoral efforts and accolades. The presentation of data will mock the program guidelines and specifications that best align with my research advisor’s opinions, ideas and thoughts. This journey will be difficult but because my academy is making a difference in the lives of young scholars, the reward will indeed be worthwhile. My eagerness looks forward to presenting the research findings in a professional manner via doctoral level guidance that will enable divine and innate success.

Conclusion 

Making STEM more inclusive will be a tough task however, this research is needed and necessary in order to help all students, including minorities, have the same STEM opportunities that are available to all scholars whose goal is to transform our world via technology and innovative thinking. My objective to help URM students stems from my personal upbringing which is the motivating factor that will help me through my doctoral journey at ACE. It was not fun to grow up being one of three or four minority students in a Pre-Calculus High School class so my intent is to change this narrative by producing research that help all scholars understand STEM subjects. Having multiple engineering degrees taught me persistence and perseverance and that is exactly what keeps me going during late nights and early morning. Cognitive Diversity Toward STEM success is a topic that seeks to level the playing field for URM students in STEM and BBGLSA will thoroughly work toward supplying any and all pupils the pathway and plan of success to thrive in STEM. 

References

Ravizee, A. L. (2020). Cognitive Diversity Toward STEM Success.

The Ultimate Guide to Great Questionnaires. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2020, from https://www.questionpro.com/blog/what-is-a-questionnaire/

Alsalhi, N. R. I. (2020). The representation of multiple intelligences in the science textbook and the extent of awareness of science teachers at the intermediate stage of this theory. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2020.100706

Arcidiacono, P., Aucejo, M. E., & Hotz, M. J. (2016). University Differences in the Graduation of Minorities in STEM Fields: Evidence from California. The American Economic Review, 106(3), 525.http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=6&sid=b4c271ab-6d11-4b6dacc2-eddba8c50994%40sessionmgr101

Belser, C. T., Shillingford, M. A., Daire, A. P., Prescod, D. J., & Dagley, M. A. (2018). Factors Influencing Undergraduate Student Retention in STEM Majors: Career Development, Math Ability, and Demographics. Professional Counselor, 8(3), 262–276.http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=b4c271ab-6d11-4b6dacc2-eddba8c50994%40sessionmgr101

Campbell, L., Campbell, B., & Dickinson, D. (n.d.). Teaching & Learning through Multiple Intelligences. Retrieved May 9, 2020, from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED415009

Dudovskiy, J. (n.d.). Convenience Sampling. Retrieved November 21, 2020, fromhttps://research-methodology.net/sampling-in-primary-data-collection/conveniencesampling/

Gardner, H. (1995). Multiple Intelligences as a Catalyst. The English Journal, 84(8),1618.Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/821182

Lisberg, A., & Woods, B. (2018). Mentorship, Mindset and Learning Strategies: An Integrative Approach to Increasing Underrepresented Minority Student Retention in a Stem Undergraduate Program. Journal of STEM Education: Innovations & Research, 19(3),14–20.http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=9&sid=b4c271ab-6d114b6d-acc2-eddba8c50994%40sessionmgr101

Ravizee, A. L. (2020). Concept Paper Literature Review.

Ravizee, A. L. (2020). Joining a Literature Conversation.

Šafranj, J. (2018). Multiple Intelligences in Practice: Harmonizing Teaching Materials and Students’ Individual Potentials. Journal Plus Education / Educatia Plus, 20(2), 104–123.http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&sid=2e85f6b3-3c31-48d9ae1c-58521cddf6c1%40pdc-v-sessmgr05

Sample Size in Statistics: Excel, Cochran’s Formula, General Tips. (n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2020, from https://www.statisticshowto.com/probability-and-statistics/find-samplesize/#:~:text=The%20Cochran%20formula%20allows%20you,attribute%20present%20%20the%20population.&text=p%20is%20the%20(estimated)%20proportion, q%20is%201%20%E2%80%93%20p.

The Ultimate Guide to Great Questionnaires. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2020, from https://www.questionpro.com/blog/what-is-a-questionnaire/