UC San Diego

Due to the barriers and trauma that many Black women experience during their educational journey, they are among the most underrepresented groups in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) pipeline (Alfred et al., 2019; Collins et al., 2020; Fouad et al., 2017). Some have argued that starting early with advancing STEM learning itself for Black girls (Alfred et al., 2019; Carlone & Johnson, 2007; Collins et al., 2020; King & Pringle, 2019; Wade-Jaimes et al., 2021). Also, research suggests that the counterspaces within informal education are crucial sites of STEM learning for Black girls, not just traditional schools (King & Pringle, 2019). Moreover, a large body of research has proven that enabling and supporting their STEM educators and educational leaders to collaborate (Fulton & Britton, 2011; Malcom et al., 1976) including belonging to a Professional Learning Community (PLC) positively impacts student achievement (DuFour, 2004; Fulton & Britton, 2011; Hord, 2004; Rhoulac Smith et al., 2008). However, PLCs do not typically exist in informal education, resulting in its practitioners working independently in silos (Jeffs & Smith, 2021) – and few if any supports seem to exist for practitioners of informal education to better support Black girls in STEM specifically. Combining these points, this study sought to engage informal educators and educational leaders in dialogue about research-based solutions to support Black girls in STEM, and how a PLC might be designed to complement their efforts. This dissertation asked practitioners of informal STEM learning themselves to read empirical research, engage in focus group dialogue, and complete reflection questionnaires to collectively make sense of and address a major crisis in education - the underrepresentation and attrition of Black girls in the STEM pipeline (Alfred et al., 2019). The purpose of this participatory action research was to explore recommendations on the most effective content knowledge and pedagogical design. Based on the findings, this dissertation proposes a framework for Professional Learning Communities advancing informal STEM learning for Black girls.