Date of Award

Fall 2025

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

Department

Educational Studies

First Advisor

Terrance McAdoo

Abstract

Many barriers exist when teaching and learning mathematics. Although the mathematics curriculum is rigid and rigorous by design it is often not culturally relevant for the students engaging with the content. As a result, many students of color do not have an appropriate amount of representation to connect to a subject area that already seems exclusionary. This qualitative action research study examines the effects of introducing culturally relevant references into an Algebra unit for students of color, exploring the influence of exposure to cultural references and the minimal display of cultural and racial identities within the mathematics curriculum on students of color. Rooted in the constructivist learning theory and culturally relevant pedagogy, this study covered four weeks of an Algebra 2 Honors unit with 13 high school students. With the integration of cultural references as an intervention, this study aimed to understand the effects of the integration of cultural references to determine the impact on their overall learning experience and achievement in coursework. Data collection instruments included a culture-free pre-assessment, one-on-one semi-structured interviews, observations and teacher journaling, and post-assessments. Findings revealed that students showed signs of achievement when relating to cultural experiences presented during math lessons. In addition, findings suggested that students felt more represented, confident, motivated, and interested in the subject area when cultural references were introduced. This study offers a foundational understanding for future research and implementation of culturally relevant pedagogical practices within the math education curriculum for teachers.

Rights

© 2025, Alesha Marie Love

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