A Potential Canary in the Coal Mine: A Critical Policy Analysis of the Illinois LSAMP During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has continued to impact every industry and test problem-solving capabilities and innovation across the board; education is no exception. As institutions continue to adapt to the impacts of the current public health crisis, colleges and universities are also navigating federal p...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Education |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2021.668394/full |
| _version_ | 1818903159915937792 |
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| author | Demetri L. Morgan Victoria E. Callais Maria Acevedo Kendrick B. Davis |
| author_facet | Demetri L. Morgan Victoria E. Callais Maria Acevedo Kendrick B. Davis |
| author_sort | Demetri L. Morgan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The COVID-19 pandemic has continued to impact every industry and test problem-solving capabilities and innovation across the board; education is no exception. As institutions continue to adapt to the impacts of the current public health crisis, colleges and universities are also navigating federal policy prompted by the pandemic. Literature has shown the positive influence of organizations, such as the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP), and, we argue that they can take a more active intermediary approach, that of an Organizational Buffer, to best support their students during times of uncertainty. Current research highlights the disconnect between STEM education and policy, as well as how the pandemic is disproportionately impacting communities of color. The pervasiveness of whiteness within educational policy and the negative impacts of unequal distribution of resources on students of color in STEM highlight the need to center race in a theoretical framework and policy. The purpose of this study was to understand the policy and communication responses to the pandemic as they pertained to supporting student success in STEM. Using the Theory of Racialized Organizations, which is a qualitative case study approach that leverages diffractive readings, was implemented to understand whether educational policy and communication responses during this time have or perpetuated inequitable systems. Guided by the research question, in what ways do pandemic policies and communications bolster the success of underrepresented minoritized students (URM) majoring in STEM, our study found four versions of policymaking (i.e., Performative, Picking Winners and Losers, Stay in your Lane, and Time Burden) that emerged and did not support URM STEM students equitably and consistently. Based on these findings, we present implications for institutional responses, LSAMP-alliance support, and future research. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T20:47:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-831fbfb2d1b1453fa0dacd4ffdea607f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2504-284X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T20:47:07Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-831fbfb2d1b1453fa0dacd4ffdea607f2022-12-21T20:06:11ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Education2504-284X2021-08-01610.3389/feduc.2021.668394668394A Potential Canary in the Coal Mine: A Critical Policy Analysis of the Illinois LSAMP During the COVID-19 PandemicDemetri L. Morgan0Victoria E. Callais1Maria Acevedo2Kendrick B. Davis3Higher Education Program, School of Education, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, United StatesHigher Education Program, School of Education, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, United StatesDepartment of Physics, Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, United StatesRace and Equity Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United StatesThe COVID-19 pandemic has continued to impact every industry and test problem-solving capabilities and innovation across the board; education is no exception. As institutions continue to adapt to the impacts of the current public health crisis, colleges and universities are also navigating federal policy prompted by the pandemic. Literature has shown the positive influence of organizations, such as the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP), and, we argue that they can take a more active intermediary approach, that of an Organizational Buffer, to best support their students during times of uncertainty. Current research highlights the disconnect between STEM education and policy, as well as how the pandemic is disproportionately impacting communities of color. The pervasiveness of whiteness within educational policy and the negative impacts of unequal distribution of resources on students of color in STEM highlight the need to center race in a theoretical framework and policy. The purpose of this study was to understand the policy and communication responses to the pandemic as they pertained to supporting student success in STEM. Using the Theory of Racialized Organizations, which is a qualitative case study approach that leverages diffractive readings, was implemented to understand whether educational policy and communication responses during this time have or perpetuated inequitable systems. Guided by the research question, in what ways do pandemic policies and communications bolster the success of underrepresented minoritized students (URM) majoring in STEM, our study found four versions of policymaking (i.e., Performative, Picking Winners and Losers, Stay in your Lane, and Time Burden) that emerged and did not support URM STEM students equitably and consistently. Based on these findings, we present implications for institutional responses, LSAMP-alliance support, and future research.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2021.668394/fullstem educationorganizational theoryraceequitystudent successcritical policy analysis |
| spellingShingle | Demetri L. Morgan Victoria E. Callais Maria Acevedo Kendrick B. Davis A Potential Canary in the Coal Mine: A Critical Policy Analysis of the Illinois LSAMP During the COVID-19 Pandemic Frontiers in Education stem education organizational theory race equity student success critical policy analysis |
| title | A Potential Canary in the Coal Mine: A Critical Policy Analysis of the Illinois LSAMP During the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_full | A Potential Canary in the Coal Mine: A Critical Policy Analysis of the Illinois LSAMP During the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_fullStr | A Potential Canary in the Coal Mine: A Critical Policy Analysis of the Illinois LSAMP During the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Potential Canary in the Coal Mine: A Critical Policy Analysis of the Illinois LSAMP During the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_short | A Potential Canary in the Coal Mine: A Critical Policy Analysis of the Illinois LSAMP During the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_sort | potential canary in the coal mine a critical policy analysis of the illinois lsamp during the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | stem education organizational theory race equity student success critical policy analysis |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2021.668394/full |
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