Promoting STEM Readiness and Retention Among Underrepresented Hispanic Students Through Culturally Responsive Pedagogical Support Systems

STEM readiness can increase students’ success in STEM by advancing two cross-disciplinary pedagogical approaches: (a) the integration of culturally responsive teaching practices that recognize and leverage students’ cultural capital; and (b) the implementation of wraparound sessions focused on metacognitive skill development to strengthen STEM readiness. Grounded in Yosso’s (2005) Community Cultural Wealth framework, this Building Academic Success Early in STEM (BASE) emphasizes six forms of cultural capital. BASE’s goals are to support STEM faculty with culturally responsive pedagogical teaching practices that improve underrepresented Hispanic students’ engagement and increase student retention and graduation rates, especially among first generation first-time college students.