I have taught physics and engineering courses using several methods, and I see that many minority students don't like to get engaged in classroom lectures/discussions. I have done demonstrations, jeopardy sessions, made them come up to the board to solve problems, asked them to come to my office hours and still have witnessed many of the students coming to class everday completely lost on what was going on. Are there any professors/instructors out there who have developed a successful approach to getting more minority students engaged in STEM lectures?
Did you ask them what they are interested in ? Sometimes students need to be asked this question in order to make them feel that they are closer to the teacher and they have a chance to express their feelings and to be supported by their teacher to do better in the challenging STEM subjects. Besides that , those students maybe gifted or talented in different artistic or literature topics ,therefore, STEM subjects are not very well digested or accepted by them , so if you know from them what they want and what they look for and how you can aid them you will be able to find the appropriate tool to support their potentials.
One issue is starting with the students when they are in K12. We have worked with programs in STEM for middle school to address the support many minorities need in their public education. It is an excellent idea to promote STEM summer camps for minorities as well as involve STEM professionals in the area to provide mentoring or classroom visits.
There are many aspects to take into account.
First of all there is no "one best way" to solve the problem "how to make others do things you want them to do". Because of this you have to understand that it is not only a minority problem. It is a question of how groups of young people live their subcultures/communities sometimes to make a difference to the "establishment" whatever they identified as. In this case school in whole, any subjects or teachers may be their concept of an enemy - or in minor cases it is not part of their live - it is only disturbing.
But sports and STEM have the best chances to open a door into their heads, hearts and souls. See the following movies: "boys town", "spare parts movie" or "Der Pauker (with Heinz Rühmann)"
In the classroom itself you have to avoid the basic-knowledge-ideology, the answer unasked questions idea or to sweeten the cucumber cake. Try a more holistic approach. Let them make (!) things and show how it will get better using other sciences. Go out on the street take your mind and bring your stuff into their life.
In the moment you (try to be yourself, don't try to be another one or to play a role) impressed them they change and they want to know more than you are able to give.
A second to B. Shoemaker's comment above. The earlier, the better. If you're at the college level, it's very, very late. The only approach I have seen work is to recruit the students you want to include, set up a neighborhood program --Sat. morning, for example-- bring in some students from grades 2 and 3, do some introductory activities, and ask your higher ed people to supervise, instruct, guide, lead, whatever. Catapults with popsicle sticks and rubber bands, whirligigs using recycled paper, etc., are good, low cost starters. Take pictures and apply for a grant. Once this project gets rolling, the students, themselves, can take over. Funding helps. Some of your students will be "drafted" by the fascination.
I think that one of the best helps is to have good models from the minority backgrounds in question. A friend of mine was doing demo shows from his university at high schools, particularly trying to recruit the Lacota Soux into STEM. It was a total bust -complete failure - until Soux students were doing the demonstrations.
So . . . TA's, tutors, and other venues may provide the models.
I also make a real effort to model that failure (in classroom discussion ) is an option. Classroom discussion which elicits the classic misconceptions are marvelous. I tell them that the physics we discuss is boring for me. What makes physics hard for them and how to make that easier, is interesting to me. It is what I study, and a hard thing to study. I am trying to fix that. I invite them to help me fix it.
@Basema, yes, I ask that question quite often. I do my best to make sure that I am not intimidating at all. I have this section in every class called relevant topics. We look at a relevant issue and ask how a STEM/ STEAM individual may approach it to solve it. This method gets a few of them to open up but others are still quiet. But, I have learned along the way that providing more in-class group activities boost the self-efficacy of the student to communicate more.
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