Cherry's Blossoms: Doing Education Differently

In June 2023, the Supreme Court's ruling struck down Affirmative Action in college admissions, disallowing race as a factor, prompting higher education institutions to address cultural diversity. Consequently, in the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling and Florida's legislative decisions impacting black history education and diversity, the need for diverse equity in STEM learning programs intensified.

The overturning of Affirmative Action not only eliminated a pathway for minority learners' access to higher education but also curtailed their exposure to STEM fields, exacerbating the existing gap in minority representation in STEM careers. This disparity is particularly pronounced for individuals with disabilities, who comprise over 13% of the American population and frequently encounter discrimination, hindering their independence and opportunities for education and employment.

Statistics from CNBC and The PEW Research Center underscore the challenges faced by people with disabilities, highlighting their lower educational attainment compared to those without disabilities. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that individuals with disabilities are less likely to have completed higher education, affecting their employment prospects. This underscores the importance of providing inclusive educational opportunities, especially in STEM fields, to address disparities and foster greater equity.

Moreover, gender and racial imbalances persist in STEM professions. Women constitute nearly half of the American workforce but only 26% of STEM workers, while African Americans and Hispanics represent only 6% and 7%, respectively, of STEM professionals. 

In response to these challenges, initiatives promoting diverse equity in STEM learning have become imperative. Such programs aim to provide tailored support and resources to minority learners, including individuals with disabilities, women, and ethnic minorities. By leveraging innovative teaching methods, interactive content, and personalized feedback, these initiatives can engage learners effectively and foster a more inclusive learning environment.

 The US education system is failing in 2023 due to various factors; academic performance, teacher shortages, and COVID-19 impact. According to the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP), many students are not proficient in reading and math, with only 36% of fourth graders proficient at grade-level math. The pandemic exacerbated the situation. Some experts believe that the one-size-fits-all approach to education is ineffective for all students, leading to a growing school choice movement that advocates for increased family options, such as homeschooling, community schools, enrichment programs, charter schools, and private schools. Furthermore, there are concerns about the impact of high-stakes testing and the unequal distribution of resources across public schools. These challenges have contributed to the perception that the US education system is struggling to meet students' needs effectively. The US education system is often compared to other countries, revealing weaknesses. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), the United States is ranked 38th in the world for education. International academic achievement tests have also shown that American schools perform worse than schools in many other countries, particularly in science and mathematics. For instance, the U.S. ranks near the bottom in a survey of students' math skills in 30 industrialized countries.

The Function of the Learning Style educational software is to provide adaptive educational material to young and adult STEM(Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) learners by using a core curriculum that modifies to their learner’s learning style(s) and adapting the lesson in STEM as the student progresses. Adjusting the task allows the educator to download lessons via written, audio, or video and alter the study to the STEM learner's best learning style(visual, verbal, aural, physical, logical). The Learning Style program provides proper functionality by adjusting the initial lesson/instructions, personalizing the STEM education, and adaptability of STEM educational material. The software objective creates a personal profile of each student’s learning ability and individualizes lessons to the learner’s optimal learning style. This changes as the student progresses in that assignment, creating maximal education, less misunderstanding, and equity for all learners.

Learning Style Software provides a multifaceted approach to assess and enhance the potential, efficacy, effectiveness, and scalability of equity-focused systems and interventions. It also contributes to equity by monitoring the impact of interventions and collecting valuable data. It assesses the effectiveness of equity-focused strategies, enabling educators to make real-time adjustments to serve underrepresented learners. This data-driven approach supports evidence-based decision-making, allowing educators and policymakers to identify best practices and scale up successful interventions. 

Learning Style, which uses responsible technology such as virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) to create a fully immersive experience, caters to different learning styles and provides a personalized learning experience for all learners. Here are some ways equitable STEM learning is beneficial for different learning styles: 

1. Visual learners: Equity in STEM learning through the program can provide visual learners with rich and interactive visual experiences. They can explore and interact with virtual environments, objects, and simulations, enhancing their understanding and retention of information. A visual learner could use a VR headset to explore a historical site or a natural environment. 

2. Auditory learners: Equity in STEM learning through the program incorporates audio elements such as sound effects, narration, and interactive conversations; it engages auditory learners and provides a multi-sensory learning experience. An auditory learner could use an AR app to listen to audio recordings of people speaking different languages. 

3. Kinesthetic learners: Equity in STEM learning through the program offers hands-on and interactive experiences that allow kinesthetic learners to engage with the learning content physically. They can manipulate objects, perform actions, and participate in simulations, enhancing their learning and retention. A kinesthetic learner could use a game to learn about physics or engineering.

4. Social learners: Equity in STEM learning through the program provides collaboration and social interaction opportunities. Learners can engage with virtual avatars, participate in group activities, and communicate with others in the virtual environment, fostering social learning experiences. 

5. Self-paced learners: Equity in STEM learning through the program allows learners to learn at their own pace. They can explore the virtual environment, repeat activities, and receive guided rehearsals until they attain mastery of a technique or concept.

The Learning Style software closes the achievement gap in STEM. As advances within STEM fields continue to reshape and inform the daily lives of millions of people, jobs in the industry are expanding rapidly. According to the U.S. Department of Education, in 2020, employment in this field has grown unprecedentedly in the previous decade. Some of the quickest-growing occupations include but are not limited to: 

   ● Mathematicians 16% 

● Computer System Analysts 22% 

● Systems Software Developers 32% 

● Medical Scientists 36% 

● Biomedical Engineers 62% 

 According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number and breadth of STEM positions will expand over the next decade. However, those in underserved communities are at risk of not benefitting from that growth because of not tracking in courses that educate in STEM in equitable informal & formal settings. The Learning Style is offered to enrichment programs in those communities to educate in STEM. There are more Black Americans and other minorities in professional and novice sports yet are not taught to become Sports Statistical Analysts, a growing sports field. Learning style closes that gap, as well as environmental engineering, etc., which are growing occupations.

A 2022 report by the U.S. Census Bureau found that, although women make up nearly half of the American workforce, they constitute only 26% of STEM workers. Similarly, African Americans account for 6% and Hispanics for 7% of professionals currently employed in a STEM-related career. Sadly, these numbers represent a more significant problem: minority and female students aren’t studying these topics at the collegiate level. A report by The National Center for Education Statistics found that even if these students choose a STEM major, they have a much higher rate of changing their majors to unrelated topics as they progress in their education. Another problem is the specific science topics women choose to study. While female college students account for over half of all degrees awarded in biological sciences, their participation in other areas is shockingly low. The National Science Foundation reported the following statistics on the matter: 

Female Participation In STEM Studies At The College Level: 

● Computer Science 18.2>#/p###

● Engineering 19.2% 

● Physics 19.1% 

And Minority Participation In STEM Studies At The College Level 

● Engineering 3.1% 

● Physical Sciences 6.5% 

● Math 5.4% 

● Computer Science 4.8% 

The NC Department of Public Instructions(NCDPI) demonstrates the inequities of one size fits all approach to education as NCDPI data shows the number of black students vs. white students enrolled in K-12 Academically and Intellectually Gifted(AIG) totals: ● Black females 8,425 vs White females 53,247 

● Black males 7,340 vs White males 56,644 

● Black total 15,765 vs White total 109,890 

The NCDPI data includes Native Amer. enrolled in AIG as 1,021 and Hispanic as 15,000. AIG students gain exposure to advanced lessons, opportunities, and scholarships. To be considered for AIG, students must demonstrate excelled proficiency in general core classes (math and reading) and referred by teachers with proven excellent assignments.

The team and founder of the Learning Style program and company are well qualified as the project conductor and have authentic partnerships and leadership. The founder of the Learning Style software is a licensed school teacher and a technologist who volunteered to teach girls how to code. The founder favored STEM, and parents paid for her to take STEM classes from age 8 to college through an informal setting twice a week at a local community center in Essex County. The Founder is a Black American millennial born and raised in Newark, NJ, educated in public schools. The founder and critical participants have had the privilege of a good education as well as negative experience with receiving bad grades in STEM subjects because of bias material and one-size-fits all teaching methods which create low self-confidence in subjects that were empathically embraces by the founder prior to the negative educational experience. 

The Learning software in formal and informal settings challenges the original theory that standardized(one size fits all) tests/information and creates equity in education by teaching STEM how they best learn and guiding them to the following lesson/information, allowing the learner to learn at their own pace.

The history of formal education structure needs to be more equitable and discriminative as it's origin is:

● The school day hours were formed only to accommodate rural farm families because of this system, as children worked on the farms then. 

● The school (elementary included) was not accessible, so only affluent families could afford to send their children to school because they could pay their children’s tuition. 

● Typically, the school was in one room for all students, so preschoolers and high schoolers were all learning in the same classroom(school house) with only one teacher who taught simultaneously. 

● Schools were segregated, so black students were not allowed to go to school, and when they rarely did, they did not receive the same level of learning material as the white students.

Culturally Responsive Teaching(CRT) wrote an op-ed that some studies suggest African American students prefer kinesthetic learning, inferential reasoning, and focus on people rather than things. According to CRT, African American students are more likely to prefer noisier and warmer learning environments, to snack while learning, and to learn in the late morning.

This software program connects team members to community leaders, centers, and school systems. The founder is a part of several organizations and the lead event manager for a predominately Black American organization with over 8 million adherents in 110 countries, COGIC Int., providing services to enrichment programs and community centers. In 2022, the founder was chosen as a Google Scholar to attend the AnitaB Org. annual conference of women(women allies) leaders and technologists.

The founder is partnered with Google LLC as the Google Women Techmakers Ambassador, a Google For Education Partner Program, an Anita B. organization region coordinator, and Google for Edu Pilot Program member, Women In Tech, Girls Who Code, an educator and technologist.

The software program has a prototype but is currently not fully functioning. The program has services 1008 students. It has been scaled as the software is unique with advance technology. The team of developers and educators have decided to focus on certain grade levels in STEM for feasibility so far. 

Learning Style works in formal and informal settings by integrating into a system management platform or legacy program:

● A learner starts in an early K-12 formal school or enrichment program 

● A learner is registered into the school’s  or enrichment program database 

● The Learning Style program is already an app in the formal or informal/enrichment learning system database 

● The learner is given an ID: Username and Password to begin access to their account 

● Learner is given a Learning Style Assessment(a set of questions to evaluate a person’s most preferred way to learn) 

● The learner’s PLS data is auto-saved in the learner account and shared with the educator and administrator(if needed) 

● Each lesson in the learner account will give the learner the original/general instructions/curriculum and the adaptive curriculum/instruction in their Learning Style. 

When the learner shows mastery, they are progressed to the next question/lesson. 

The software beta test pilot provides mastery in both 7/8yrs old (3rd grade)math standards NC.3.MD.2 and NC.3.MD.1(Using Tools to Measure Length, Weight, and the other is Capacity and Understanding Time), subject of over 90% and age 10/11 yrs old (5th grade)Science standards 5.P.1.1-4, 5.P.2.1-3, and 5.P.3.1-3 Interaction of Matter and Energy, Relationships of Force and Motion, and Heating, Cooling and Changing Properties, all of which are low testing standards but improved over 95%. These are vital standardized test subjects that data shows typically are low-grade, low-passing percentage areas.

The software industry thrives on innovation, yet it suffers from a lack of diversity. Minority students are significantly underrepresented in this field, facing numerous barriers that hinder their access to quality software education. This proposal explores how MIT SOLVE can empower our innovative learning style software to bridge this equity gap and empower minority students to become the next generation of software leaders.

Minority students encounter a multitude of obstacles in software education, including:

• Financial Barriers: The high cost of traditional software education programs can be prohibitive for students from low-income backgrounds.

• Technical Barriers: Lack of access to computers, reliable internet, and technical mentors can significantly disadvantage students.

• Legal Barriers: Immigration status can create difficulties in obtaining relevant work experience or internships.

• Cultural Barriers: Traditional teaching methods might not resonate with students from diverse cultural backgrounds, leading to disengagement.

• Market Barriers: Unconscious bias and limited access to professional networks can hinder minority student career prospects.

Our learning style software offers a unique approach to software education by:

• Personalized Learning: It adapts to individual learning styles, catering to visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners.

• Accessibility: It is designed for affordability and can be accessed on a variety of devices, even with limited internet connectivity.

• Gamification: It incorporates gamified elements to enhance engagement and motivation.

• Culturally-Sensitive Content: Content is curated to be inclusive and represent diverse perspectives in the tech industry.

• Mentorship Network: The platform can integrate a mentorship program connecting students with experienced software professionals from minority backgrounds.

MIT SOLVE's expertise and resources can be instrumental in overcoming the barriers faced by our software and its users:

• Financial Support: Applying for MIT SOLVE funding can help us develop a freemium model, making our software accessible to low-income students.

• Technical Expertise: Collaboration with MIT engineers can enhance the software's technical infrastructure and online accessibility.

• Legal Navigation: MIT SOLVE's legal resources can assist us in ensuring that the platform is inclusive and compliant with regulations regarding students of different immigration backgrounds.

• Cultural Competency Training: MIT SOLVE's network can connect us with experts in cultural competency to further refine our learning modules for better cultural sensitivity.

• Market Access: Through MIT SOLVE's connections, we can expand our reach to partner with educational institutions and tech companies serving minority communities, opening doors for student internships and career opportunities.

By partnering with MIT SOLVE, our learning style software can:

• Increase Access: Provide affordable and accessible software education to a wider range of minority students.

• Improve Engagement: Create a captivating learning experience that resonates with diverse learning styles and cultural backgrounds.

• Enhance Skills: Equip students with the necessary technical and soft skills required for success in the software industry.

• Build Confidence: Foster confidence and self-efficacy in minority students, encouraging them to pursue careers in software development.

Diversify the Tech Workforce: Increase the representation of minorities in the software industry, leading to a more innovative and inclusive tech ecosystem