QuantCrit as a Methodological Framework to Support Equity and Justice in Chemistry Education Research

Paulette Vincent-Ruz (she/ella) is an Assistant Professor in Chemistry Education Research at New Mexico State University. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico and obtained her Ph.D. in Learning Sciences and Policy from the University of Pittsburgh, School of Education. Her research perspective is informed by her background. She identifies as a Queer Latinx cis-woman of color, born and raised a settler colonialist on the rightful lands of the Mexica Tribes. Her research seeks to build an understanding of the systemic disadvantages that hinder the success of marginalized students and their effect on student's chemistry attitudes, opportunities, and learning by using equity centered theories and methodologies. Her unique combination of Chemistry disciplinary knowledge and educational theory earned her the American Chemical Society's recognition as a Future Leader in Chemistry, the first time this was awarded to a chemistry education researcher. She was also the recipient of the Distinguished Student Leadership Award, the highest award designated for students at the University of Pittsburgh School of Education.

The myth of meritocracy obscures the reality of injustice manifesting as educational debts along gender, racial, and other marginalized identities. Particularly, in Discipline Based Education Research (DBER), the study of equity and justice problems centers theoretical and methodological practices that perpetuate the racism-race reification process and fails to provide insight that can dismantle an unjust system. In this talk I will present (1) the “Resources for Equitable Activation of Chemical Thinking Framework”, a framework I proposed to center equity theories in Chemistry Education Research, and (2) my QuantCrit methodological approach. I will apply this equity-centered approach to unearth a counterstory to traditional and harmful explanations of the “underperformance” of Black students in an Introductory Chemistry course. Furthermore, I will show how this equity-centered approach allows us to reach conclusions with practical implications that improve instructors' practice, and better support their marginalized students. Finally, I will present how both my theoretical and methodological perspectives will be applied to build an Equity-Centered Research Program that aims to solve both theoretical and practical issues in Chemistry Education Research.

Zoom link: https://asu.zoom.us/j/81604207167